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Let's all be bear wary out there

With Mother Nature now blessing the valley with spring-like weather, except for the next couple of days, there is possibly no better sign the season has arrived than that bears are out of their dens and on the move.

With Mother Nature now blessing the valley with spring-like weather, except for the next couple of days, there is possibly no better sign the season has arrived than that bears are out of their dens and on the move.

Yes, trees are leafing out, crocuses are blooming and migrating birds have returned – but nothing says spring in the Bow Valley like the spotting of the critters at the top of the food chain.

Everyone – visitors and locals alike – hopes to catch a glimpse of a bear at this time of year. Grizzly or black, there is just something about a massively powerful bear that catches the imagination.

Already in Banff, famous grizzly bear 64 has been spotted with a trio of cubs in tow, which is good news for generally low population numbers in the national park. The fact that females are out with their cubs is important to note, as it makes them especially protective.

Another male grizzly, now known as bear 122, discovered nearly unlimited leftovers at Banff’s Castle Junction landfill. Feasting on the unexpected bonanza, the bear has already run into trouble with wildlife managers, been tranquilized and collared so as to track his movements. He’s roaming around out there after finding the landfill the site of a new electrified fence.

All that because he couldn’t resist steak bones and corncobs that were uncomposted in the landfill. Bears do love their leftovers…

Still another black bear has discovered a tasty cache of flowering plum tree fruit left over from last fall in a residential backyard. This bear was already removed from Banff last fall, and made a long-distance trek back; possibly in search of food left behind my humans.

And bears do love their leftovers.

For campers embracing the May long weekend and joining us here in the valley, it’s worth noting that while these bears were spotted doing their thing in Banff, they can be found anywhere in this valley, at any time – including in the many campgrounds, where they may be enticed by the smell of food.

Then again, with things greening up at lower elevations in the valley, bears may be found in the backcountry, the front country, near creeks and rivers, on the links, around the next corner of the trail you’re hiking or biking on…

Because bears can be anywhere, it’s time for a 101 on bear safety. Purchase and carry bear spray with you (check that it hasn’t expired) and know how to use it, travel in groups, make some noise while you’re moving about, keep dogs on leash, don’t feed or approach bears and watch for scat, overturned rocks and diggings while respecting trail closures.

Check www.wildsmart.ca for reported bear whereabouts and more information.

Bears are just one of the things that draw people to this region; it’s up to everyone to make sure it’s not the last thing that draws them here. They are big, powerful and unpredictable and it’s well worth remembering that the only predictable thing about bears is that they are unpredictable.

Within the townscapes of the valley, it wouldn’t hurt to remove fruit-bearing plants and shrubs which act as attractants.


Rocky Mountain Outlook

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