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 (Oct.29, 2026)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
It was another quiet week for bear sightings in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country, and the colder weather will likely speed up the process of bears heading into their dens. According to GPS collar data, some female grizzly bears have moved up to higher elevations in denning territory and they will likely remain at or near their den sites, but other collared (and non-collared) bears continue to be seen out and about searching for last minute calories. Those calories should not be coming from people and bears will be searching for easy food sources. With food getting scarce, it is extra important for trail and day users to make sure NO attractants are left unattended that could attract bears.
A cougar warning was issued for the Bill Milne Trail between Mashee Way and Evan-Thomas Day Use Area due to a cougar that killed a deer in the area, and remote camera and collar data have shown that some male bears like to stay out on the landscape into mid-December. With this in mind, it is important that you don’t become complacent when heading out on the trails and that you are mentally prepared for possible wildlife encounters!
Although bear sightings have slowed down, there has been an uptick over the last two weeks of wildlife being hit and killed by vehicles on Highways 1 and 40 (mostly deer, sheep and a black bear). SLOW DOWN: Remember to drive carefully, obey speed limits, and slow down when passing wildlife that may be feeding or lingering roadside. Motorists need to be extra alert (especially at dawn and dusk) as the days are getting shorter and the number of darkness hours are increasing. Remember to always stay in your vehicle and give bears at least 100m of space at all times!
You can help keep bears and other wildlife out of trouble by keeping your pumpkins indoors! It is a very simple act that can keep yourself and your neighbourhood safe! Pumpkins make a tasty meal for a hungry bear trying to fatten up for the winter ahead (pumpkin seeds have 163 calories an ounce; pulp is 50 calories a cup).
Bears are opportunistic feeders and will eat anything that is available to them, so please make sure your yard is free of all potential attractants that bears and other wildlife might try to eat - or you may face steep fines and be responsible for killing a bear! Remove or secure ALL wildlife attractants such as fruit (on trees and on the ground), PUMPKINS, bird feeders, unsecured garbage, greasy bbq's and pet food. To find out more about the fines associated with allowing wildlife attractants such as fruit to accumulate on trees and on the ground, view and download the Community Standards Bylaw here.
Pumpkins are a wildlife attractant to all sorts of animals, not just bears. Pumpkins can be put outside on Oct.31 to be enjoyed by trick-or-treaters but make sure you bring them back inside before going to bed!
Elk rutting season is winding down but large herds of elk continue to be seen throughout town which means you have to be vigilant and you may have to choose an alternate route while out for a walk/run/ride. Give plenty of space to ALL ELK (at least 100 metres or 10 bus lengths), never try to sneak past them, never get between a male elk and the female elk, and keep your pets on a leash. Remember: Always carry bear spray in an easily accessible location, and if an elk charges, position a large object (e.g. car, large tree) between you and the elk or consider using your bear spray. Never approach elk up close as they are wild animals that can react unpredictably!
HUNTERS need to be cautious as, due to the nature of their activity, they are intentionally being quiet on the landscape. They should always be bear aware and carry bear spray with them while out hunting! Bear spray can save the life of the hunter AND the bear(s).
VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
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!
Important note about Reporting wildlife in Canmore: The correct number to call is Kananaskis Dispatch at 403-591-7755 but Fish and Wildlife officers have to come all the way from Cochrane (or beyond) so there is often a delay which is why Town of Canmore Municipal Enforcement often are first on the scene, and why it is helpful for them to also receive the reports. Here is the reporting procedure we recommend:
1. Report the wildlife sightings to Kananaskis Dispatch at 403-591-7755
2. Then also report it to Town of Canmore Municipal Enforcement at 403-678-4244
That way, Municipal Enforcement will be able to assess the situation and they can also directly contact Fish & Wildlife and give them updates and more information. Peace officers are not able to move or handle bears but they can certainly keep an eye on them until Fish & Wildlife arrives.
SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND
Every time you head out on the trails you need to be vigilant and mentally prepared for possible encounters with wildlife! It is also safer to hike, bike, run, or ski in a group. Make lots of noise when out on the trails, and avoid recreating at dusk, dawn or at night which is when cougars and other wildlife are most active. Be aware of your surroundings by periodically checking behind you to make sure there are no animals following you and by not wearing earbuds/headphones, which will limit your ability to hear approaching wildlife.
Even though the bears have or will enter their dens soon, there are still many species that do not hibernate (i.e. cougars, wolves, coyotes, deer and elk) that you need to be aware of and prepared to encounter while out on the trails. Remember to carry bear spray in an easily accessible location (not in your backpack), know how to use it and use it if required. Bear spray should be carried year-round and is also effective against other wildlife such as cougars, wolves, coyotes and elk.
A cougar family caught on camera at this time of year in 2020. Photo courtesy of Alberta Forestry & Parks.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
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 such as ground squirrels, roots and bulbs. So keep an eye out for grizzly bear digs while out on the trails. Wildlife Ambassador Karen is back in the video below to talk to you about grizzly bear claws and their digs.
Why do Grizzlies need claws that long? Let’s have a look at the many uses of grizzly bear claws.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Bears are so focused on food this time of year that they are more likely to take risks, like coming into town and backyards to eat pumpkins and feed in fruit trees. Letting a bear access these higher calorie items won't do it any favours. Once they try these food sources they can learn that towns provide easy meals, meaning they're more likely to stick around and come back. This can become a public safety issue as bears can get protective of food sources, leading to conflicts between bears and humans, with bears normally paying the price by getting relocated or killed.
At this point, most of the fruit has already fallen off trees in the Bow Valley, but please make sure you remove all fruit from your yard and dispose of it responsibly. Fruit can be put in the residential food waste bins around town. That being said, if you know you have a fruit tree on your property, you may as well get FREE money and save bears by applying for the Town of Canmore’s Fruit Tree Removal and Replacement Incentive NOW! Picking fruit every year is a lot of work so the recommended long-term solution is to remove your fruit tree. There is still plenty of money remaining in the budget this year for the Town of Canmore’s Fruit Tree Removal and Replacement Incentive Program so we urge you to consider removing your fruit tree now while the funds are available! Click here for more details!
Halloween is around the corner and there are many pumpkins sitting outside on doorsteps in Canmore! Be proactive to help keep your children, the children in your neighbourhood and our local wildlife safe by placing pumpkins inside of windows and NOT outside on your doorstep. Pumpkins are a wildlife attractant to all sorts of animals, and we all need to do our best to avoid attracting wildlife into residential areas. If you don't want a bear in your yard, or to get a bear relocated or killed, make sure you don't provide it with a meal! You might think that your pumpkin is safe on a balcony, far off the ground, but bears are very good climbers. Check out this video of an ingenious bear climbing up onto a balcony. Pumpkins can be put outside on Oct.31 to be enjoyed by trick-or-treaters but make sure you bring them back inside before going to bed!
After Halloween, please dispose of your pumpkins properly and do not leave them outside inviting them to get smashed up by pranksters or eaten by wildlife. You don’t want to attract a visitor to your door after Halloween like in this video. In Canmore, pumpkins should be disposed of in the bear-proof Residential Food Waste Containers and remember to remove candles and other non organic decorations!
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
Bold black bear collared after eluding capture for most of summer in Banff National Park.
Banff wolf pup put down to 'prevent further suffering' after fight with bull elk.
Conservation officials warn of marked increase in bear activity ahead of Halloween.
Alberta study followed 80 cougars and almost half were dead at the hands of humans.
Canmore residents take second injured owl under their wing in a week.
Bear spotted in Kanata, ON safely tranquilized and relocated.
Independent tally shows black bears drive most predatory attacks in 2026.
A three-legged cougar named Crimson is thriving in Arkansas.
CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
Join our Board of Directors!
We seek new board members with a passion for our community and our environment. We are particularly interested in candidates who have experience in any of the following areas:
non-profit governance and management
financial management
fund development in the non-profit sector (philanthropy)
serving in executive positions on boards
Please click here for more information and how to apply. Deadline for applications is Nov.2.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
Polar Bear Week is the first week of November and this year runs from Nov.1-7. Polar Bears International created Polar Bear Week to coincide with the annual gathering of polar bears near Churchill, Canada, as they wait for sea ice to form on Hudson Bay so they can return to hunting seals. During this week, they celebrate the bears and draw attention to the threats polar bears face in a warming Arctic, and the need to help polar bears and humans coexist.
Why do they focus on coexistence? Because human-polar bear conflict is a growing problem as the Arctic warms, and the summer ice-free period is three to four weeks longer than it was in the 1980s, straining the limits of the bears’ fat reserves. Melting sea ice is forcing more polar bears ashore in more places, and for longer periods, leading to an uptick in encounters with people. Their goal is to keep both polar bears and people safe from harm.
This year, Polar Bears International is raising funds to underwrite their coexistence efforts while also supporting their other conservation efforts across the Arctic. Helping polar bears and people live safely with each other is critically important as more polar bears are spending more time onshore as the sea ice melts. Here are some cool facts about polar bears to kick off your weekend!
Photo by BJ Kirschhoffer/Polar Bears International.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Nov.3 - Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in the Bow Valley Workshops.
Is Your Business or Property EV Ready? Join Our Free Workshops!
Upcoming Workshops: November 3, November 19 & December 2, 2026
As electric vehicle (EV) adoption continues to grow, businesses, property managers, and communities need to prepare for increasing demand for charging infrastructure. We are hosting a series of free EV charging infrastructure workshops to help participants better understand EV charging options, electrical requirements, installation considerations, costs, and practical steps for planning and implementing charging infrastructure.
These workshops are designed for business owners, property managers, condo boards, developers, municipal staff, tourism and hospitality operators, and anyone interested in learning more about EV charging. No prior EV knowledge is required! All workshops are FREE, but registration is required. Explore upcoming sessions and reserve your spot through our EV Charging Workshop Registration Page.
Nov.13, 2026 - Do-Si-Do with the Biosphere at our 4th Annual Square Dance Community Fundraiser! Join us for a boot-stompin’ night of live music, square dancing, good company, light snacks, a silent auction, cash bar, 50/50 raffle, draw prizes and plenty of laughs. No square dance experience needed—our fantastic caller will teach you every step. Fire in the hole!
All proceeds support the Biosphere Institute and our work advancing climate action and human-wildlife coexistence throughout the Bow Valley. Bring your friends, bring your boots, and come dance for a good cause.
When: Friday, November 13, 2026
Doors open: 6:30 PM and Dancing from 7:30-10:00 PM
Where: Canmore Creekside Hall (New Location!!!)
Tickets: $50 + fees
Nov.23 - Earth Talks | Beyond Fuel Reduction: Community Science and the Future of Fireguards for People and Wildlife. How do mountain meadows support wildlife in the Bow Valley? Join local ecologist Jonathan Farr for November’s Earth Talk to discover how species like bison, elk, and bighorn sheep rely on mountain meadows for crucial forage throughout the seasons. Explore how wildfire risk reduction efforts could help restore these important habitats, and how community science and stewardship can support healthier landscapes for wildlife. Mon. Nov.23 | 7–8pm at Canmore Public Library (Friends Program Room). Free or by donation and registration is required. Register today to save your spot!
Nov.25-27 - Join us for the 4th Annual Building for Sustainability Symposium in Canmore for three days of learning, networking, and collaboration as we explore innovative solutions to building more sustainable, resilient communities.
This year's Symposium brings together industry professionals, municipal leaders, researchers, and sustainability experts for inspiring keynote presentations, engaging panel discussions, interactive workshops, and field trips showcasing sustainable building practices across the Bow Valley. Whether you're a builder, developer, designer, policymaker, or simply passionate about sustainability, there's something for everyone! Don't miss out - Click here to explore the program and register today!
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