A couple encountered a grizzly bear near Quarry Lake on April 30, forcing Fish and Wildlife officers to erect their first bear in area warning signs of the year adjacent to the off-leash dog park.
“The grizzly bear was east of Quarry Lake. It wasn’t big, but it was difficult to tell. The tracks were in the snow and had been affected by the sun,” said Fish and Wildlife Officer Dave Dickson.
The sighting was first reported on the Trailex website on April 30 and then to Alberta Parks on May 1.
Upon investigation, Dickson found lots of grizzly tracks in the area, but did not see the bear. Officers scanned the area again on Monday, but found no evidence that the bear was still in the area.
He says it’s a good idea for dog walkers to stay out of the trees at this time of year and to always carry bear spray. Keeping dogs on a leash is imperative when bears are in the area.
Dickson suspects the bear may be Grizzly 110, which was outfitted with an ear collar that has stopped working. The bear may be recaptured and tagged if she is seen again.
“A bear can often leave an area before we get the signage up,” Dickson said.
Bear sightings should be reported to 403-591-7755.
In other wildlife news, a cougar kill was discovered in Millenium Park recently. A dead mule deer was found near one of the trees in the park and wildlife managers moved it away from the popular public area. The sighting was reported right away and the individual who discovered it did not approach the carcass.
“They did everything right. The cougar may have been in the trees above the deer,” Dickson said.
