Did you know that WildSmart is a program of the Biosphere Institute, a local charity? Our work relies entirely on donations and sponsors. If you would like to support our community-based efforts to promote human-wildlife coexistence, please donate!
BEAR ACTIVITY UPDATE (Sep.18, 2025)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
There continue to be berries persisting on bushes in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country which is good news for the bears, as they remain focused on feeding on berries and other natural food sources while they can. Although there have been some black bear and scat sightings on the North side of Canmore, there have not been any reported issues with bears accessing wildlife attractants in backyards…yet. Do your best to keep it that way by proactively removing wildlife attractants such as fruit trees (or at least the fruit), bird feeders, garbage and pet food so that you don’t draw bears into town and get them into trouble in your yard!
Even though the K-Country wide bear warning has been removed, bears are still very active and area specific warnings and closures are in place. All trails users need to be mentally prepared to encounter a bear while out recreating as many berry bushes are found along popular trails. With nothing but food on their minds, bears are so focused on feeding that they may not pay attention to anything else. Do not try to sneak past bears and don’t expect bears to move off a food source for you! Bears can be very possessive of their berry patches and may exert their dominance. See Article: Bears bluff charging hikers prompt warnings in Kananaskis Country. As such, two more bear warnings were issued in K-Country this past week, likely due to surprise encounters with bears feeding (see below). If there are bears feeding along trails, give them their space (at least 100m), back away, leave the area, and don't try and sneak past them because if you get too close they could get protective. We need to do our part and and give them that peace and quiet to feed undisturbed as they need these calories to survive.
Bear Closure - Rockwall Trail & Peter Lougheed Discovery Centre Meadow due to multiple bears feeding in the area.
Bear Warning - Burstall Pass Trail, Parking Lot & surrounding area due to a bear that bluff charged a hiker and bear spray was deployed.
Bear Warning - Village Rim Trail and surrounding area due to a bear that bluff charged a hiker.
Boo the grizzly bear at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, B.C. on Sep.13, 2025.
Even though we mostly talk about bears and elk, we can’t forget about other wildlife such as cougars and moose when out on the trails. See the following two warnings posting this past week:
Moose Warning - Upper Kananaskis Lake Trail (south side) from Upper Lake Day Use to Point Campground (but not including Point Campground) and Hidden Lake Area due to an aggressive moose that was encountered on the trail.
Cougar Warning - Mount Baldy rock climbing area (Baldy Crag) and North Baldy scramble route due to a cougar that has been seen in the area at the base of the Baldy Crag twice since September 4th, 2025.
VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
Boo looking fat and healthy on Sep.13, 2025!
With elk rutting season in full swing, bull elk aggression has picked up over the past week and you may hear some loud bugling in and around Canmore! Male elk are particularly protective of the female elk they are with and they may become aggressive towards anything that comes too close, even trucks (see the picture below and read this article from 2018). The best way to keep them at ease is to stay at least 30m away - which is three school bus lengths - never try to sneak past them and never get between a male elk and the female elk.
Elk frequently hang out along trails and in wide open fields such as school yards and playing fields around town, which means you may have to choose an alternate route while out for a walk/run/ride. Remember: keep pets on a leash, carry bear spray, and if an elk charges, consider using your bear spray or position a large object (e.g. car, large tree) between you and the elk. Even if you are going for a leisurely walk around the neighbourhood in Canmore, you should be carrying bear spray and keeping your distance from all wildlife! Never approach elk up close as they are wild animals that can react unpredictably!
Four holes made by a charging bull elk when this truck was stopped at a traffic light in Jasper National Park (2018). Photo courtesy of Parks Canada.
SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND
There are many outdoor enthusiasts who are doing sunrise hikes, which is also when wildlife are very active! Before making plans, it would be nice for people to consider what is best for the wildlife. Bears continue to feed in order to gain as much weight as possible for the upcoming winter so allowing them to feed undisturbed by giving them lots of space is a great example of human-wildlife coexistence. With the busy Larch season starting soon, bears will be doing their best to escape the hoards of people out on the trails, so please consider leaving those times (like dawn and dusk) for bears and other wildlife. Be extra vigilant if you are wandering off-trail to avoid the crowds - as bears need somewhere to go to avoid the people. Consisder staying on designated and popular trails and leaving space for bears. That is what coexistence is all about!
You can also do your part by staying out of closed areas, avoiding areas where bears have been seen, or where active warnings are in place, making lots of noise to alert bears of your presence, travelling in groups, keeping pets on a leash and being aware of your surroundings by looking for fresh scat & tracks and not wearing earbuds & headphones. Always carry bear spray in an easily accessible location (not your backpack) and know how to use it!
October 1 & 2 - Municipal All-Candidates Forums on the Environment
The Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley will host two All-Candidates Forums on the Environment in advance of the upcoming municipal elections. These FREE forums are your opportunity to hear directly from candidates about their plans to address the Bow Valley’s most pressing environmental challenges. Our Executive Director Gareth Thomson will facilitate the conversations, with questions developed in collaboration with local environmental organizations. Donations to help cover venue and A/V costs will be gratefully received.
Banff Forum
Catherine Robb Whyte Building, Pioneer Room (upstairs from Banff Public Library)
Wednesday, October 1 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Canmore Forum
Canmore Seniors’ Association, Creekside Hall
Thursday, October 2 | 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
The full list of questions to be asked at the forums is available at:
The forums will also be broadcast live and recorded so that community members can follow along virtually in real time or watch afterward. Broadcast links will be shared on our website as they become available at: biosphereinstitute.org/election-forums
Special thanks to one of our sponsors, Bow Valley Clean Air Society, for their generous support.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
Wildlife Ambassador Derek is back with a short video explaining why you should report ALL bear sightings in the Bow Valley & Kananaskis regions.
THE IMPORTANCE OF REPORTING WILDLIFE: Many people believe that reporting a bear in town, especially your backyard, is a death sentence for that bear. The truth is quite the opposite. By not reporting a bear, you are allowing the bear to learn bad behaviours (such as feeding in fruit trees, lingering in backyards, feeding at bird feeders, eating pet food, eating garbage etc.) and you teach the bear that it is OK to come into town and eat unnatural food sources - when in fact it is not OK and it will eventually lead to its death. If you want to help save bears, report all sightings of bears in town! ***Please share this message with your friends, family, and neighbours!***
Please report any sightings of a bear, cougar, wolf or any aggressive wildlife in the Bow Valley or K-Country to Kananaskis Dispatch at 403-591-7755. In Banff, call Dispatch at 403.762.1470. They prefer to get the reports first hand from the people who see the wildlife!
WEEKLY WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WHEREABOUTS
In case you have not seen them yet, our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors have been heading out onto trails and trailheads! You can find them talking to people about responsible trail use and staying safe while recreating in bear country. Note: their locations may change at the last minute.
September 20 - CAMBA's FlowFest 2025 from 11am-3pm at the Grizzly Paw Brewery.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
ATTENTION CANMORE RESIDENTS:
Did you Know? As per the Community Standards Bylaw in Canmore, “55.1- No Person or Owner shall permit or allow a Wildlife Attractant to be placed or remain in an outdoor location where it attracts Dangerous Wildlife.” This means that if a bear is found feeding in your fruit tree, the first offence would be $1,000! To find out more about the fines associated with allowing wildlife attractants such as fruit to accumulate on trees and on the ground, view/download the Community Standards Bylaw here.
It is YOUR responsibility to make sure that bears do not have a reason to linger in your yard, resulting in bears being relocated or killed. If there are any houses with fruit trees in your neighbourhood, we urge you to start having friendly conversations (not confrontations) with them about the importance of removing fruit to keep people and bears safe in the Bow Valley. Two key points to discuss are:
Remove your fruit trees or their fruit - otherwise, you may face steep fines and be responsible for killing a bear.
If you want to help save bears, report all sightings of bears in town to 403-591-7755.
WildSmart has pruning shears, extendable pole saw pruners and fruit pickers that can be borrowed (free of charge) to assist Bow Valley residents in removing fruit and berry bushes from their property. Please send an email to resource@biosphereinstitute.org to make arrangements to borrow the fruit removal equipment. Picked fruit can be put in the residential food waste bins around town. Leaves, branches and clippings can be put in the appropriate bins at the Boulder Crescent Recycling Depot. You can also use your crabapples to make delicious jams, jellies and baked goods and liqueurs.
Picking fruit every year is a lot of work so the recommended long-term solution is to remove your fruit tree! If you decide to remove your fruit tree, the Town of Canmore is running their Fruit Tree Removal and Replacement Incentive Program. Residents can get financial help to remove and replace fruit-bearing trees that attract bears into neighbourhoods. Fruit trees can be replaced with non-fruit bearing trees that produce beautiful blossoms but are not wildlife attractants. These programs are first-come first-served while funds are available. Click here for more details!
IMPORTANT: If you take down your own tree, you need to remove the fruit and berries and put them in the residential food waste bins around town. The branches with the fruit removed can go to the Boulder Crescent Recycling Depot. The Town of Canmore is not is not able to dispose of the bins at the Boulder Crescent Depot when there are berries and fruit in the bins, as the landfill will not accept them!
Fresh bear scat full of cherry pits along Cougar Creek in Canmore on Sep.16, 2025. Yes, bears eat cherries!
Bear scat pile near bottom left corner of the image.
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
Parks Canada issues cougar warning for Waterton Village.
“I knew what to do when I encountered a bear but I still did everything wrong.”
Bear attacks Yellowstone hiker in defensive encounter.
Bear caught on CCTV searching for food in Indian temple in southern India.
Ontario Couple attacked by bear that got into their home when they let the dog out.
Fat Bear Week 2025 To Bring Millions Closer To Alaska’s Brown Bears.
This overlooked super predator is almost dethroning the polar bear.
Japan to review bear management and hiking rules after fatal attack in Hokkaido.
Family captures footage of black bear inside their house.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
Fat Bear Week in Alaska is an annual celebration of the beefy, brown and bristly bears as they fatten up for their long winter slumber. Some of the largest brown bears on Earth make their home at Brooks River in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Bears get fat to survive and Fat Bear Week is an annual tournament celebrating their success in preparation for winter hibernation. Your vote decides who is the fattest of the fat. Fat Bear Week this year runs from Sep.23-30 and here is your guide to Fat bear Week 2025. Voting will begin on Sep.23 (with the bracket reveal on Sep.22) and the champion fat bear will be crowned on September 30, 2025.
The Fat Bear Junior competition kicks off today and runs from Sep.18-19 so get your votes in now and the champion Jr. Fat Bear will be crowned on Sep.19.
All votes are cast at fatbearweek.org in this March-madness style bracket competition in which bears compete daily in head-to-head matchups for the title of 2025 Fat Bear Week Champion. Click here to meet the Bears! This is a single elimination tournament. For each match-up, vote for the bear you believe best exemplifies fatness. The bear with the most votes advances to the next round. Only one will be crowned champion of Fat Bear Week on Sep.30, 2025. Learn more about the history of Fat Bear Week here.
Brooks Falls in Alaska's Katmai National Park is the best place in the world to watch brown bears feasting on salmon as they swim upstream to spawn. Watch the live webcam by clicking here.
Banff Ave Brewing Co. Charity Tap - Cheers to Local Conservation!
Only a few weeks left to get your pint(s)! A huge thank you to Banff Ave Brewing Co. for choosing the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley and WildSmart as beneficiaries of their Community Beer program until the end of September! Every pint of their crushable Dragonfruit Kölsch supports the Biosphere Institute—so treat yourself to something freshly juicy and help our local wildlife!
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 25 - Learning in the Gardens: Living Smart with Wildlife
Join us in the NWMP Barracks gardens for an engaging evening of wildlife safety and awareness with Nick de Ruyter, WildSmart Program Director at the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley. This FREE interactive workshop will help you stay safe and coexist responsibly with the wildlife that share our valley. With berry season winding down, we turn our attention to fruit tree attractants and the elk rut. Learn practical skills and knowledge, including:
How to avoid and handle wildlife encounters in the Bow Valley
How to manage attractants at home and on the trails (fruit trees, food, and garbage)
How to safely carry and use bear spray, with hands-on practice using inert training spray
Why reporting wildlife in town matters, and why we don’t want bears in our backyards
The workshop will conclude with a Q&A and discussion on how you can play a role in building a community of coexistence. Limited spots available - Register here now!
September 11 to October 19 - EV’s are for Everyone Cross-Canada Tour!
We are proud to partner with national nonprofit Plug’n Drive, a trusted source for electric vehicle education and test drives, to bring the 2025 EV’s are for Everyone Cross-Canada Tour to Banff and Canmore! During the event you can connect with Plug’n Drive EV ambassadors, get your questions answered, and experience the latest in electric vehicle technology. Test drives will be available in a lineup of EVs from leading manufacturers! Click below to book your test drive appointment—drop-ins are welcome, but priority will be given to scheduled visitors.
Banff MEET
This event will take place in Banff from September 11 to 28, 2025, every Thursday to Sunday from 10am-5pm at the Banff Train Station, 327 Railway Ave., Banff.
Click Here to Book your Banff Test drive!
Canmore MEET
This event will take place in Canmore from October 2 to 19, 2025, every Thursday to Sunday from 10am-5pm at the Canmore Recreation Centre, 1900 8 Ave., Canmore.
November 21 - Do-Si-Do for the Biosphere Institute: Square Dance Fundraiser
Please join us for some boot stompin' fun at our third annual Square Dance Community Fundraiser! The most fun you can have with your boots on - Friday November 21, 2025.
Doors open: 6:30 PM at the Cornerstone Theatre | Dance begins at 7:30 PM
General Admission: $45+fees | Early bird tickets: $35+fees
We will provide you with an incredible live band, light snacks, prizes, silent auction, and so much laughing your belly will hurt the next day! No prior experience necessary – All are welcome! Please let us know if you have any accessibility concerns that we should know about. If affordability is a barrier, please reach out to resource@biosphereinstitute.org. Fire in the hole!
Please remember BEARS CAN BE ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!
Report any sightings of a bear, cougar, wolf or any aggressive wildlife in Kananaskis Country or the Bow Valley to Kananaskis Dispatch at 403.591.7755