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!
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!
BEAR ACTIVITY UPDATE (June 26, 2025)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
Bears continue to be seen regularly throughout the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country along trails, roads, in and around town and in the valley bottoms where most of their available food is located. There has been an increase in bear sightings at the Canmore Nordic Centre and a bear warning has been put in place. No negative interactions, just numerous sightings.
It’s going to be a busy long weekend and people need to expect to run into a bear while out on the trails, even in areas that do not have a bear warning in place. Grizzly sows and their cubs are down low in the Kananaskis Valley and need to be given lots of space. Don’t stop on the roadside and create bear jams. Never get out of your vehicle to get closer to a bear that is roadside - it stresses out and disturbs the bear, and is potentially dangerous for you, the bear and other motorists. Give bears at least 100m of space at all times and do not linger near wildlife feeding roadside - keep moving along! Be extra vigilant at dawn, dusk and during night time hours to avoid collisions with wildlife. The Friends of Kananaskis Country have some great Tips for Roadside Wildlife Viewing for motorists and cyclists.
Wildlife attractant management should be the highest priority in the campgrounds and day use areas. Do not leave attractants unattended and don’t be the reason for wildlife having to be destroyed! Reminder to campers to be diligent in keeping ALL wildlife attractants secure from bears including food, garbage, recycling, pet food and any other scented items. Lock them in vehicles, hard-sided trailers or bear-proof storage lockers and never leave these items unattended, even for a minute. Never leave food and scented items in tents as bears can easily access them. Always dispose of garbage in bear-proof bins. UPDATE: Black bear to be trapped after ripping tent in search of food in Kananaskis.
We can’t prevent bears from walking through our picnic areas and campsites, but we can certainly do our best not to give them a food reward or reason to linger!
On the trail: Remember to make lots of noise, travel in a group (ideally 4 or more), keep pets on a leash, carry bear spray and be prepared to use it in case of a close encounter. Knowing what to do when you encounter a bear is key! Even if you are going for a leisurely walk around the neighbourhood you should be carrying bear spray. It is important to remember that bears can be encountered anywhere, anytime (not just in areas with an active warning or closure in place) so you should always be expecting to run into a bear whenever you head out on the trails in the Bow Valley and K-Country.
Bold black bear cruising the campsites looking for food at Spray West Campground on June 28, 2024.
Most elk calves are already mobile and moving around with less defensive mothers. However, there continue to be other cow elk showing aggression towards people who are getting too close to their calves! Be aware of your surroundings, even on popular and well-visited trails around town and along the river. Never approach elk for any reason. Stay at least 30 metres (3 school bus lengths) away from all elk. If you see any elk, immediately leave the area and DO NOT TRY TO SNEAK PAST THEM. Even bikers should not be trying to sneak past elk on the trails. Keep pets on a leash and it is a good idea to be carrying your bear spray whenever you leave the house to go out for a walk, run or ride around Canmore. The presence of calves also attracts predators such as bears, cougars, wolves and coyotes so be aware of your surroundings, even on popular and well visited trails around town and along the river.
Cow elk with mobile calf - Never try to sneak past them.
VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
Bear Warning - Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park due to numerous black bears that have been observed in the area.
Bear Closure - Bill Milne Trail (partial) between Kananaskis River/Mount Allan Drive and the Water Treatment Road due to a grizzly bear with cub frequenting the area. The rest of the trail is open.
SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND
Keep a BEAR FREE Campsite! If you see garbage on the ground, pick it up and put it in a bear-proof bin. If the bin is full, take the garbage home with you, but never leave garbage on the ground. It sounds like common sense, but never feed any wildlife (yes, that includes squirrels and chipmunks) and never leave food unattended, even for a minute.
Even open and closed beverage containers are considered a wildlife attractant. Bears will bite and puncture beer and pop cans to drink the contents as they contain a lot of calories and sugar! Attractants must be stored inside a hard-sided vehicle/trailer, or locker at night (not in your tent) and when you’re away during the day. Attractants include coolers, food, beverages, toiletries, pet food, garbage, recyclables and other scented items.
Officials will remove unattended attractants if they are not stored correctly, and an enforcement action may follow! All park visitors and campers need to be extra vigilant in securing their food and other items that attract wildlife, even when they are still at their campsite or picnic area. It is important to always have your bear spray ready and available, just in case you get any unwanted four-legged visitors. On that note, in case you missed this ad in today’s RM Outlook…
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
Kananaskis Country is home to a lot of animals, including bears. Recreating safely in bear country means more than just knowing what to do in a bear encounter. It’s also understanding signs that bears are around, so that maybe those encounters can be prevented.
Bears are big enough that they almost always leave evidence that they’ve been present – if you know what to look for. Keeping your eyes peeled for this evidence can help you be aware if bears are present, and will decrease the risk that you’ll accidentally run into a bear. Every month we’re going to learn about some of the signs bears leave in the forest, and in this edition of Watching for Bear Signs by Derek Ryder, Volunteer Wildlife Ambassador & IGA Interpretive Guide, it is Tracks.
One of the most obvious signs that bears are around is the footprints they leave. Tracks are only left on soft or wet ground. If you remember the last couple of days of the weather, it can help you understand when Ms. Bear might have passed. If you know it hasn’t rained or been wet where you are for several days, then that track in what is now dried up mud is now old. Rain and water wash away tracks, so if the ground is still wet or it’s raining, and you find an obvious track, it’s very fresh. In the fall, knowing when it snowed last can be a big giveaway as to when tracks were made. Tracks in snow exposed to sun will melt out over several days, going from quite distinct to less well defined. Tracks melting out will also get bigger. Click here to read Derek’s full article about Tracks!
Click on this image of bear tracks to read the full article!
WEEKLY WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WHEREABOUTS
In case you have not seen them yet, our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors have been heading out onto trails and trailheads! You can find them talking to people about responsible trail use and staying safe while recreating in bear country. Note: their locations may change at the last minute. June 28 - Boulton Campground Store & the Campgrounds in Peter Lougheed PP Facility Zone
June 29 - Grizzly Paw Community BBQ in Canmore.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
Buffaloberries have started to show up and will continue to ripen in the weeks to come. Please be proactive and remove berry bushes and fruit trees from your yard NOW before you attract a bear into town. Your tree blossoms will blossom into bear problems later! It is your responsibility to make sure that bears do not have a reason to linger in your yard, resulting in bears being relocated or destroyed.
To make Canmore safer for wildlife and people, the Town of Canmore is once again offering their Fruit Tree Removal Incentive Program this year to cover 100% of the cost of tree removal up to $500/property. For 2025 only, condos or commercial properties with five or more trees for removal may be eligible for additional support up to $1,000/property. Don't wait for the fruit to start growing, remove them early. The program is first-come first-served while funds are available. Click here for details and how to apply.
The Buffaloberries have started to show up on the North side (the sunny side) of the Bow Valley! Photo taken on June 24, 2025.
If a garbage bin is full, take your garbage to another bin! DO NOT leave it on the ground where it is accessible for wildlife! A fed bear is a dead bear and one lazy act could cost a bear its life! If you notice any garbage left outside of bear proof bins, or garbage bins that are full around town, please report this to the Town of Canmore at 403-678-1580.
In Canmore, please report bins that are full to 403-678-1580.
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
Behind the high-tech G7 wildlife operation to keep people safe from wildlife.
Injured wolf digging for herbs and potatoes in Field, B.C. backyard euthanized.
Cougar Encounters Have Led To Temporary Closure of Sections of Whistler Bike Park.
If you happen to see some bear poop, pick it up (for science).
'Woah, it's huge': TikTokers' 'dangerous' pursuit of brown bears in Japan stirs controversy.
Onlooker captures video of tourists' dangerous behavior near grizzly bear in Jasper NP.
‘It was amazing’: Residents baffled by bear brawl on Metro Vancouver street.
Search for cougars continues at Whistler Bike Trails as area closures remain in effect.
Two bears raid honey store after enclosure escape in the U.K.
Bear euthanized after attacking camper in Lake Tahoe trailer after other break-in attempts.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
Jam for Jasper: A Huge Success! Thank you to everyone who joined us on May 31 at the Banff Springs Hotel for an unforgettable evening of music, community, and climate action! With a full house of almost 200 attendees and jam jars sold out by intermission, we’re thrilled to share that we raised $2,795.91 in support of the Jasper Community Team Society Fund and a new wildfire resilience initiative led by the Biosphere Institute.
A huge thanks to Scott Diehl and The Climate Changers for their powerful performance and to our inspiring speakers Phil Nugent, Keri Martens, and MLA Sarah Elmeligi.
Feeling inspired and wondering what you can do to be prepared and resilient?
Learn about Emergency Preparations and Evacuation Planning in Banff, how to prepare an Emergency Kit "go bag," and sign up for Emergency Alerts. If you live in Canmore, please visit the Town of Canmore: Emergency Preparedness website.
UPCOMING EVENTS
June 29 - MD of Bighorn’s ‘Living Smart with Wildlife at Home and on the Trails’
We are looking forward to this FREE 'Living Smart with Wildlife at Home and on the Trails' presentation to the MD of Bighorn residents on Sunday June 29 from 2-5pm at Beaupre Community Hall!
Learn how to coexist peacefully with our furry neighbours in the wild at this fun and educational event! Hosted by WildSmart Program Director Nick de Ruyter and Wildlife Ambassador Derek Ryder, this presentation will cover topics like hands-on training with inert bear spray, managing wildlife attractants at home and on the trails, avoiding and handling encounters with wildlife, the 'Urban Wildlife Dilemma' and more! Tickets are limited so register today by clicking here!
June 29 - Grizzly Paw Community BBQ
After postponing last weekend due to the rain, this Grizzly Paw Community BBQ event is back on for THIS SUNDAY June 29 from 11am-3pm at their Brewery Backyard!
Come on down to the brewery on Old Canmore Road for this family-friendly, pet-friendly, cool-person-friendly event for FREE hot dogs, FREE soda, FREE brewery tours (limited spaces), spectacular live music from THE TREBLEMAKERS and CAVE ARCADE and more! Our Wildlife Ambassadors will be there with their hands-on interactive booth. Come on by, learn how to use bear spray and chat with them about responsible trail use and how we can all work together to improve human-wildlife coexistence!
July 1 - Canada Day in the Park
Wildlife Ambassadors will be at the WildSmart booth in Centennial Park in Canmore from 8:30am-12pm. Come on by the booth and say hi and have a chat with them about how you can help improve human-wildlife coexistence in the Bow Valley while eating FREE pancakes before you go watch the parade at noon. Find out more about what is happening in Canmore on Canada Day 2025 by clicking here.
Our Canada Day booth set-up in Centennial Park in Canmore near the Rotary Pancake Breakfast.
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 Emergency Services at 403.591.7755