The large area bear closure on the south side of the Bow Valley remains in place – yet people continue to enter the area where the animals are feeding on buffalo berries.
The large area bear closure on the south side of the Bow Valley remains in place – yet people continue to enter the area where the animals are feeding on buffalo berries.
Jay Honeyman, human-wildlife conflict specialist with Alberta Environment and Parks, said charges have been laid against a couple of people and there are still others under investigation.
“We're still getting reports of people going into the closure. We really want people to honour the closure,” he said.
“There's still berries in there and it's a real safety concern with people recreating in and around trail systems around berries – and that situation hasn't changed.”
The closure area includes area surrounding Quarry Lake and Grassi Lakes day use area, surrounding trails including the Rundle Canal trail, Lowline, Reclaimer, Highline west switchback connector, Highline middle connector at Quarry Lake, Powerline, Backdoor, Killer Bees, Nector Noodle and Ziggy's trails, areas east of Peaks of Grassi between 742 and Three Sisters Golf Course.
Quarry Lake and the main meadow of the off-leash park remain open.
The closure, which was put into effect July 28, followed several encounters with female grizzly bear 148 as she fed on buffalo berries. There were also numerous other bears feeding in the area.
Bear 148 has since been relocated several hundred kilometres away to an area near Kakwa Wildland Provincial Park in remote northwestern Alberta.
Honeyman said the closed area is being checked daily for buffalo berries, noting wildlife officials are very conscious of the fact the Labour Day holiday is this coming weekend.
“There's still berries on bushes, and so at this point, the closure is still in effect,” he said. “When the berries drop, the closure gets removed.”
