Inspired by the global youth climate movement? You can help local youth leaders make their voices heard about the future of our Mountain Parks. Click here to read more about the Canadian Rockies Youth Summit and to donate to support student participation.
BEAR ACTIVITY SUMMARY FOR THE BOW VALLEY
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
For the period: September 27 to October 4, 2019
SUMMARY
Just because there is snow on the ground, it does not mean that the bears have gone to sleep. Bears will still be looking for food for the next month and a half to fatten up for the winter, and black bears continue to be drawn into residential areas on both sides of the valley in Canmore by people allowing fruit and berries to accumulate on trees in their yards. Please do your part in keeping wildlife WILD and outside of residential areas by removing attractants such as fruit (both on trees and on the ground), grease on barbecues, pet food and garbage from your yard. If you are having trouble getting the hard-to-reach fruit up high, come and borrow an extendable fruit picker from WildSmart! The fruit can be used to make delicious jams, jellies and baked goods and liqueurs! Extra or unused fruit can be dropped off in the new bear-proof residential food waste bins in Canmore.
Photo by Derek Ryder
Several close encounters between hikers, dogs and a cougar on Wednesday have reinforced a number of important lessons about wildlife safety. These close encounters ultimately resulted in the cougar being shot after killing a dog. You can read the full article here.
Lesson#1: It is very important to keep your dog on a leash as the off-leash dog was killed by the cougar on EEOR (East end of Rundle).
Lesson#2: It is very important to be aware of your surroundings by periodically checking behind you to make sure there are no animals following you. That includes not wearing earbuds/headphones, which will limit your ability to hear approaching wildlife.
Lesson#3: It is recommended to make lots of noise when you hike, travel in tight groups keeping children close by, and people should be carrying bear spray with them year round in an easily accessible location (it should be carried along well-traveled trails in and around town). Bear spray can be effective at deterring other animals besides bears, such as cougars, wolves, coyotes and elk. Carrying bear spray and using it when needed could save your life as well as your pet’s life!
Lesson#4: This story shows the importance of promptly reporting sightings and encounters with dangerous wildlife in the Bow Valley and K-Country, such as bears and cougars, to Kananaskis Emergency Services (KES) at 403-591-7755.
For more information about how to handle encounters with cougars, please click here.
Photo courtesy of Alberta Environment and Parks
Elk continue to be seen along trails around town, in open fields, school yards and playing fields which means you may have to choose an alternate route while out for a walk/run/ride. A reminder that it is elk rutting season and that male elk are particularly protective of nearby female elk and they may become aggressive towards anything that comes too close. Give plenty of space to elk (at least 30m or 3 school bus lengths), never get between a male elk and a female elk, and be sure to keep pets on-leash. If an elk does charge be prepared to use your bear spray. Try to move behind a large object (e.g. car, large tree) and keep the object between you and the elk. Parents should have a conversation with their children about giving wildlife lots of space and calmly leaving the area if they see elk or other wildlife on their commute to school.
Photo by Sandy Lane
It is hunting season. Please be aware of your surroundings and stay clear of dead animals. Hunters should always carry and use bear spray as the first line of defense, even if they are carrying a gun.
CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
Cougar Closure - Ha Ling Peak and East End of Rundle due to a dog attacked by a cougar.
Bear Closure - Rockwall Trail and the meadow located southeast of the Peter Lougheed Discovery Centre and extending 100 meters into timber around the meadow due to multiple bears in the area.
Bear Warning - Bow River Campground due to a black bear in the area.
*Bears are not only found in closure or warning areas. You should always remain alert while walking, hiking, running and biking, and remember that bears can be encountered anytime, anywhere!
Here is a list of some Annual Closures in Kananaskis Country.
A complete list of all warnings and closures is available here for anyone visiting the Bow Valley, Kananaskis Country and Alberta Parks.
A complete list of all warnings and closures is available here for Banff National Park.
For more information on areas in the Bow Valley frequented by bears at this time of year visit our human-bear conflict summary map.
The information above is based upon a compilation of bear information provided by government agencies and unconfirmed sightings reported by the public over the last week. It is not intended to be used as a real-time, complete record of where bears are in the valley.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
WE ARE HIRING!
The Biosphere Institute is seeking an experienced Environmental Education Specialist who will:
1. Lead development and implementation of Youth Conservation Partnerships, a new initiative focused on empowering grade 10-12 students in the Bow Valley to design and implement meaningful conservation projects in their communities; and
2. Guide and supervise efforts to weave Indigenous perspectives into our K-9 wildlife and climate change education programs.
The application deadline for this position is October 15, 2019 and the anticipated start date is on or before November 15, 2019.
To view the full job description and contact information click here.
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 Emergency Services at 403.591.7755