Bear Activity: July 22 to 28, 2011

BEAR SUMMARY FOR THE BOW VALLEY
(Banff National Park to Bow Valley Provincial Park)

For the Period: July 22 to 28, 2011

The following summary is based upon a compilation of bear information provided by government agencies and unconfirmed sightings reported by the public over the last week. It is not intended to be used as a real time, complete record of where bears are in the valley.

BEARS CAN BE ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!

Be aware of your surroundings, know how to reduce the likelihood of encounters, and be prepared should an encounter take place. Always use caution by paying attention to signs of bear activity such as scats, tracks, and digging. Make lots of noise while hiking; hike in groups when possible; carry pepper spray; and obey closures.

Education Tidbit

Bears have a simple digestive tract. Their colon is the primary site of fermentation.  They have a long gut for digesting grasses, but do not digest starches very well (Brown, 1993).  During the berry season, bears “pass” berries very quickly. One can often observe whole berries in bear scat that have passed through a bears digestive system largely intact.

Bear Activity Trends

There has been grizzly activity in Grassi Corridor and Silvertip Zones this week. Black bear activity has been reported at Canmore Nordic Centre, Quarry/ Grassi Lake, Rundleview, Bow River channel, TSR South, Deadmans Flats, Bow Flats, Lac des Arcs, Heart Creek, YMCA and Bow Valley Provincial Park Zones.

Important Notes

It is berry season and bears are in the valley bottoms. Please remain attentive and be on the lookout for bears feeding trailside.

Bear Cautions and Closures

Please report all bear sightings to 403 591 7755.