Banff National Park officials are warning people they are prepared to lay charges against anyone caught harassing a high-profile female bear and her three cubs.
The 22-year-old grizzly, known as number 64, has been seen spending time in the Sunshine Road area with her three cubs and, in recent days, in the Sunshine parking lot.
Parks Canada officials say their law enforcement branch is in the area on a regular basis, and if people are behaving inappropriately, they will be charged accordingly.
Steve Michel, human wildlife-conflict specialist for Banff National Park, said he’s concerned that people, including photographers, are stopping their vehicles too close, sometimes within five metres of the bears.
“I’m quite concerned because we’re getting huge volumes of photographer traffic up there,” said Steve Michel, human-wildlife conflict specialist for Banff National Park.
“In some cases, some of the guys are being good, and in some cases there’s full-scale harassment. She’s having a tough time making a living up there without being constantly surrounded.”
Parks lifted a warning that’s been in place for the Sundance-Vermilion area because bear 64 and her three cubs moved to the Sunshine road area in the last week.
Michel said there is increased potential for the bears to get more comfortable around humans and vehicles if people don’t stay a safe distance, at least 100 metres.
“We’re concerned she’s not getting the space she needs,” he said. “If they get too comfortable with vehicles and human presence, that comfort level is going to jeopardize their survival in the future.”
Michel said bear 64 has learned to navigate and survive in the busy Bow Valley, but her young cubs are still very vulnerable.
“The cubs are at an extremely impressionable stage, and every exchange with humans is a learning experience,” he said. “The way they choose to live their lives will be based on early experiences.”
Parks Canada also urges people to obey the posted speed limit along Sunshine Road, noting many vehicles have been observed travelling above the speed limit.
“Our concern is not just for this grizzly and her cubs, but all other wildlife along that road,” said Michel. “There’s very high quality habitat along that road.”
Officials at Sunshine Village say the large female grizzly has been seen before, but this is the first season with this litter of cubs. As of press time, she’d been in in the vicinity of the parking lot for the previous four or five days.
Parks Canada asks that all bear sightings be reported to 403-762-1470.
