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!
The information below 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.
BEAR ACTIVITY UPDATE (Aug 31-Sep 7, 2023)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
There has been a big uptick in bear sightings over the past two weeks in the Bow Valley in residential areas in Canmore, in the M.D. of Bighorn hamlets and campgrounds. The black bears are keying in on any area that has berries. All trails users need to be mentally prepared to encounter a bear while out recreating, especially in areas with berries. A reminder that day-use areas and campsites need to be kept clean and wildlife attractants need to be properly secured when not on site.
Food is still constantly on a bear’s mind and they are very focused on eating as much food as possible in advance of their upcoming winter hibernation. They are choosing easy meals such as garbage, pet food and bird seed, and have also been feeding in fruit trees, namely crabapple, chokecherry, dogwood and mountain ash, in yards across town. They have also been seen walking along the streets (even streets very close to downtown) which poses a public safety risk. Bears in yards and on streets can easily encounter unsuspecting kids playing in backyards, parks and commuting to and from school. Removing the fruit from your trees will help keep people safe and could save a bear’s life! Here is a recent example of people getting much too close to bears feeding in fruit trees in Jasper.
Archive photo of a black bear in a yard in Canmore. Photo by Lisanne Mol.
The elk rutting season has begun so you may hear some loud bugling! Male elk are particularly protective of the female elk they are with and they may become aggressive towards anything that comes too close. Elk frequently hang out in wide open fields such as school yards and playing fields around town. An idea for parents: have a conversation with your children about giving wildlife lots of space and calmly leaving the area if they see elk or other wildlife.
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. Remember to keep pets on a leash, carry bear spray in an easily accessible location, 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. Never approach elk up close as they are wild animals that can react unpredictably!
You can also submit your report using the Report-A-Poacher Online form or contact your local district Fish and Wildlife office.
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 early this year, 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. 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 not wearing earbuds or headphones.
Have you recently hiked, biked or ran on a Kananaskis or Bow Valley trail? If yes, please take a few minutes to complete this survey to help with a research project on recreational trail use in the Kananaskis, Spray and Bow Valleys. The survey, titled the “Kananaskis Wildlife and Trail Survey” (open Aug 4-Oct 15), focuses on the types of trails recreationists value as well as how potential encounters with bears, as well as trail designation and wayfinding, are incorporated into trail users’ decision making. They will combine results with their other survey conducted earlier this summer to support efforts to advance recreation-wildlife coexistence in the Bow and Kananaskis Valleys.
Please complete this 15-minute online survey or scan the QR code below!
Click on image for the Kananaskis Wildlife & Trail Survey.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
Kananaskis Country is home to a lot of animals, including bears. Recreating safely in bear country means more than just knowing what to do in a bear encounter. It’s also understanding signs that bears are around, so that maybe those encounters can be prevented.
Bears are big enough that they almost always leave evidence that they’ve been present – if you know what to look for. Keeping your eyes peeled for this evidence can help you be aware if bears are present, and will decrease the risk that you’ll accidentally run into a bear. Every month we’re going to learn about some of the signs bears leave in the forest, and in this edition of Watching for Bear Signs by Derek Ryder, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador & IGA Interpretive Guide, it is Digs.
It’s larch season, and that means throngs of people are going to head up to the high alpine. That’s exactly where grizzlies are at this time of year, too. There are a couple of things that grizzlies chow down on up in the alpine before they go to bed, and almost all of them are dug up. Accordingly, something to keep your eye out for on your larch explorations are Grizzly Bear digs.
Many of the plants bears eat grow in patches. If bears are digging for roots or bulbs, such as those of the Glacier Lily, you’re going to find a large area that looks like it’s been attacked by a rototiller. When I say “large”, it could be as much as 15 m by 15 m, so it’s really hard to miss. The first photo was taken in the Highwood Pass area. Note that, whatever was being dug up, it is above treeline and right near the start of scree. This kind of mess is very common in these locations. Click here to read Derek’s full article about Digs!
Click on this image of a dig 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 to talk to people about responsible trail use and staying safe while recreating in bear country. Note: the locations they go to may change at the last minute. Here is where they will be next…
Saturday September 7
Canmore Engine Bridge
Fullerton Loop in Bragg Creek
Keep an eye out for the Wildlife Ambassadors next time you are out on the trails in the Bow Valley and K-Country and be sure to say hi and have a chat with them!
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
Town of Banff tightens rules on wildlife attractants.
Bears relocated in Jasper National Park after group poses for selfie with mother and cub.
Shooting of a brown bear leaves two cubs motherless and sparks outrage in Italy.
Watch a grizzly bear maul a black bear in Canada.
'Persistent bear activity' forces wildfire crews out of camp west of Lillooet, B.C.
Article about Staying Elk Smart This Fall.
Surprise encounter with mother grizzly in Montana ends with bear killed and a man shot.
A group of excited tourists surrounded a grizzly bear and her two cubs at Yellowstone National Park, sparking a debate about how humans interact with wildlife.
More bears coming closer to humans in Prince George, B.C.
Grizzly bear that killed hiker is euthanized after breaking into home for food in Montana.
New Research Shows Direct Link Between Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Polar Bear Survival.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Screenshot of page 16 of the Sep.7, 2023 edition of the RM Outlook.
Once again, here are some important reminders about fruit trees for Canmore residents:
Leaving fruit (such as crabapples, mountain ash, chokecherry and dogwood) in your trees can attract bears into residential areas, creating a hazard for people and the children in those neighbourhoods, and also to the bear that may need to be relocated or destroyed if it continues seeking out residential fruit trees.
As per the new Community Standards Bylaw, residents can be fined for letting fruit and other wildlife attractants accumulate in their yards. Fines can range between $250 to $10,000.
The Town of Canmore has Fruit Tree Removal Incentive Program that is now fully subscribed for the 2023 year. Instead of picking the fruit every year, remove the tree and swap it for something that doesn’t pose a hazard to bears and people. More information and details about how to participate in the program next year can be found on their website here.
Removing the fruit from trees in your yard is recommended, but removing the fruit tree itself is the best practice. Fruit trees can be replaced with ornamental, non-fruit bearing trees, that produce beautiful blossoms but are not wildlife attractants.
For those residents who are hesitant to replace their fruit trees, bears that get into fruit trees can cause extensive damage to the trees (as shown below) with the end result of the tree dying and often having to be replaced anyways.
If you can’t reach that fruit up in the tree, no problem! We have extendable fruit pickers and extendable pole saw pruners that can be borrowed free of charge. Please send an email to resource@biosphereinstitute.org to make arrangements to borrow the fruit picking 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.
Check out the Alberta BearSmart Fruit Trees and Bears fact sheet for more info!
Crabapple tree BEFORE…
and AFTER…This is what can happen if you don’t remove the fruit!
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
On Tuesday, in order to help keep people and wildlife safe in the Bow Valley, a dedicated drove of dogwood destroyers descended upon Bow Valley Campground to remove dogwood bushes from numerous occupied campsites that had seen recent black bear activity. What a great team effort by Alberta Parks Staff and Volunteer Stewards and Wildlife Ambassadors including Park Ranger Team Lead Arian, Bear Technician Annie, Parks Land Use Officer Patrick, and Wildlife Ambassadors Karen, Derek and Brett!
Pictured from Left to Right: Karen, Derek, Arian and Brett.
For those of you who have crabapples but do not know what to do with them, look no further. The team at Core Values Cider Co. is holding a fruit drive this Fall and will be happy to take them off your hands. Drop offs can be made at their cidery (located at 1402 Railway Ave.) during normal business hours (Monday - Saturday 1-9pm and Sunday 1-8pm). For more info please email info@corevaluescider.ca or call them at 403-679-1578.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sep.18 - Earth Talks: Together is Better: Community Green Energy Generation in Alberta
The climate is talking, and communities are listening! Join Jodi Conuel for a presentation and discussion about how community generation is advancing Alberta's green energy transition.
Attendees will learn about:
The importance of community collaboration in effective action and how to build a successful initiative
What is community generation, and how does it work in Alberta?
How can you get involved and benefit from community generation projects?
This FREE Earth Talks event will take place on Monday, Sep.18th, 2023, in the Friends Program Room at 7:00 pm at the Canmore Public Library. Registration is required to attend in-person, or you can join online LIVE via Zoom by clicking 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