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 now!
BEAR ACTIVITY UPDATE (May 21, 2026)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
Grizzly and black bears continue to be seen along trails, roads and in residential neighbourhoods on both sides of the valley, and aggressive cow elk are being encountered in Canmore in green spaces such as Silvertip Golf Course and Quarry Lake.
There are at least 16 different grizzly bears active in the Kananaskis Valley (that we know about), and even some mating pairs have already been seen together. Some family groups of bears have also been spotted regularly in the Bow Valley and K-Country, so be extra vigilant and make sure to give these families lots of space as mothers are particularly protective of their young! Many people are NOT giving them space and are causing bear jams. Mothers with cubs have a limit on their tolerance and may charge at people who get too close. If you like bears and want to keep them safe - give them lots of space, at least 100m, even while in your car! Giving them space also includes slowing down but not stopping when passing bears feeding roadside, and always staying in your vehicle when taking pictures.
A Bear Closure has been put in place for Highway 40 from Kananaskis Lakes Trail to Highwood Pass - ALL FOOT AND BIKE traffic is PROHIBITED! Why? Multiple bears, including breeding pairs, are valley bottom due to the snowpack AND due to a grizzly bear bluff charge.
MANAGE WILDLIFE ATTRACTANTS: Keep campsites clean and do not leave any wildlife attractants out on site while away from your campsite or overnight. Never leave food unattended - not even for a minute! Garbage, food and scented items need to be stored inside a vehicle, hard sided trailer or bear lockers. Don’t be the reason a bear has to be killed because it got into un-natural food sources on your campsite!
Mother grizzly bear and cubs roadside in K-Country.
TIPS FOR TRAIL USERS: Avoid surprise encounters by making lots of noise (yell, shout) to let wildlife know you are coming down the trail to give them time to move off of the trail. It is also a good idea to keep ear buds out for better situational awareness, check behind you to make sure you are not being followed by wildlife, and always carry bear spray in an accessible location, and know how to use it! If you see a bear on a trail, do NOT try to sneak past it. Wait until it leaves or find another way around and have your bear spray ready. All trail users should always be thinking about bears and expecting encounters so that they are mentally prepared to properly handle those encounters. If you know of or have heard of bear activity in a given area, please consider recreating elsewhere!
IMPORTANT: Bears can and will be encountered on busy trails. If a bear is walking down the trail towards you (and if safe to do so), simply try moving off of the trail to let them pass, but always have your bear spray out and ready just in case. If the bear continues past, you were just in the way. If the bear turns to follow you, there is more going on and you should have your bear spray out and be ready to spray the bear.
ELK: Elk calving season is underway and reports of aggressive charging elk cows have started coming in. People need to be extra vigilant of mother elk that will be hiding their calves in dense vegetation near parks, fields and trails. Mother elk can become very defensive and will aggressively protect their calves by kicking and charging at you if they feel threatened, especially if dogs are involved. Never approach elk for any reason and always give them a very wide safety margin! The best way to keep them at ease is to stay at least 30m away (three school bus lengths), and NEVER TRY TO SNEAK PAST THEM!
The presence of newborn elk calves can also attract predators such as bears, cougars, wolves and coyotes into town who are looking for an easy meal. Do not touch or remove young calves if they are found in the woods! Newborns will spend much of their time alone in their early days and will appear lifeless in order to avoid detection by predators. Their mother will always be close by. Always carry bear spray, be prepared to use it, and keep your pets on a leash.
An elk cow and her newborn calf near Canmore on May 17, 2026. Mother elk and their calves are frequently found along busy trails in Canmore and can go undetected by people walking right past them!
VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
Bear Closure: Highway 40 from Kananaskis Lakes Trail to Highwood Pass: ALL FOOT AND BIKE traffic is PROHIBITED. Multiple bears, including breeding pairs, are valley bottom due to the snowpack AND due to a grizzly bear bluff charge.
SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND
DRIVE CAREFULY AND DON’T CREATE BEAR JAMS: Bears and other animals like elk, deer and sheep are found feeding on green grass and dandelions along roads, highways and trails. Roadside vegetation is some of the first to green up at this time of the year and fulfills important habitat needs for these animals. This results in a higher risk for vehicle collisions with wildlife. Remember to obey speed limits and slow down when passing wildlife, but don’t stop, and always stay in your vehicle. Give bears at least 100m of space at all times! Obey all “No Stopping Signs” and if you see one animal be prepared to see more and adjust your speed accordingly. Travel safely and help protect our wildlife (and yourselves) by slowing down, especially during dawn, dusk and night. The Friends of Kananaskis Country have some great Tips for Roadside Wildlife Viewing for motorists and cyclists.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
Living and recreating safely in bear country means understanding many factors. From signs that bears are around to what to do in a bear encounter, there is always something to learn. As we wander in the wilderness (or even in town sites) we are travelling in a bear’s home: this is their living area, dining area, and even their bathroom. Recognizing the food sources that bears are currently eating can help raise your awareness of the possibility that bears are around where you are at any given moment. Every month we’re going to look at what bears are eating right now. For the next few weeks, and in this edition of What are the Bears eating today? by Derek Ryder, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador & IGA Interpretive Guide, it is Kinnikinnik (bear berry).
By now most bears have emerged from their dens. Through the month of May they’ll leave the higher alpine environments where they den and move down to the snow free valley bottoms, so bear sightings and encounters will increase through the month. Along the way down from the alpine, if they can find a carcass of something killed over the winter by an avalanche, they’ll be very happy. However, there are no guarantees for that to happen, so most bears will rely on their veggie diets. One plant they will go after that does have berries at this time of year is kinnikinnik. Click here to read Derek’s full article about Kinnikinnik!
Click on this image of the Kinnikinnik flowers to read the full article!
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.
May 23 - Grotto Canyon
May 23 & 24 - Rocky Mountain Soap Women’s Run at the Canmore Nordic Centre
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
A fed bear is a dead bear and one lazy act could cost a bear its life! We can’t prevent bears from walking through our picnic areas, campsites and backyards, but we can certainly do our best not to give them a food reward or a reason to linger!
Never feed any wildlife and never leave food unattended, even for a minute!
If you see garbage on the ground, help out by picking it up and putting it in a bin.
If a garbage bin is full, take your garbage to another bin, or take it home with you! DO NOT leave it on the ground where it is accessible for wildlife!
In Canmore, if you notice any garbage left outside of bear proof bins, or garbage bins that are full around town, please report this to the Town of Canmore at 403-678-1580.
Fruit Tree Removal and Replacement Incentive Program - Accessing fruit trees is the number one reason why bears in the Bow Valley are relocated or killed. We are making Canmore safer for people and wildlife by reducing financial barriers to remove and replace fruit trees. Thanks to the generous support from the G7, we’re continuing our partnership with the Town of Canmore this year to offer the Fruit Tree Replacement Incentive using the remaining funds from the 2025 allotment. The replacement incentive is run concurrently with the Fruit Tree Removal Incentive to encourage residents to remove and replace fruit-bearing vegetation from their properties, an important action to ensure that wildlife is kept wild in the Bow Valley. Click here to learn more or apply for the incentive! Applications are now open while funds are available.
A black bear feasting on Mountain Ash berries in Canmore. Archived photo.
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
Video shows Split Lip (Grizzly 136) walking through the Sunshine Village parking lot.
Banff's action plan to protect at-risk species out for review.
Videos of men hand-feeding grizzly bear in B.C. prompt investigation.
‘I couldn’t believe it’: Man attacked by bear in Mission, B.C.
Conservation officers have euthanized the bear after man attacked in Mission.
B.C. scientists are asking people to pick up bear poop for study. Would you?
Young grizzly bear cub takes one look at traffic & turns itself around.
Japanese bear-fightin' robo-wolves are pure unleaded nightmare fuel but they're working.
City of Thunder Bay encourages residents to be ‘Bear Wise’ with new garbage carts.
Research Article: Patterns of brown bear (Ursus arctos) visits to human settlements provide insights for human–wildlife coexistence in Spain.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
ReUse Bow Valley Hub is now open!
ReUse Bow Valley is a pilot project helping divert construction, renovation, demolition (CRD) waste from the landfill and back into the Bow Valley community for free. Drop-in during our Reuse Hub hours of operation (Unit B3, 105 Boulder Crescent, Canmore, AB) on Thursdays: 3–6 pm and Saturdays: 8–10 am. Click here to learn more!
Biosphere Institute staff members Tanya (L) and Kendra (R) showing off the new ReUse Hub!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
Volunteer with the FireSmart Ambassador Program!
Want to help build a more wildfire-resilient Bow Valley? This summer, the Biosphere Institute is recruiting volunteers for our FireSmart Ambassador Program. Volunteers will support an educational campaign across Canmore, helping residents learn practical ways to reduce wildfire risk and strengthen community resilience.
No experience is needed. Flexible shifts, full training, volunteer swag, and appreciation events are all included. This is a great opportunity to meet your neighbours, build new skills, and contribute to meaningful local action. Click here to learn more and apply.
A photo of our 2025 FireSmart Ambassadors.
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 23 - Sports Gear Sustainability Hub Swap. Does your garage have a "sports corner" gathering dust? Those cleats that don’t fit anymore or that basketball that never gets used could be a game-changer for others. Don't let usable items go to the landfill-give them a second life. Come to our gear swap with the Bow Valley Filipino Canadian Society on May 23 in the Friends Program Room at the Canmore Public Library: 10am-12pm: Drop off and organizing of gear. 12-3pm: Gear swapping! What we accept: Bikes, helmets, protective gear, skates, shoes, balls, sticks, bats, racquets, sports apparel and more! Click here for more info.
May 25 - Earth Talks - Energy Transition in Alberta: Like Pushing Oil Uphill with local conservationist, writer, and photographer Stephen Legault (7-8pm, Friends Program Room, Canmore Public Library) - Click here to register for free
May 26 - Online Bear Aware: Bear Safety Session with the Town of Banff and Parks Canada (7:00-8:15pm Online). Learn how to be safe in bear country, how to identify different types of bears, common bear behaviours and tools and tips to prevent bear encounters - Click here to register for free
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