Recent heavy snowfall hasn’t deterred grizzly bears from heading out of their dens.
One sub-adult grizzly bear has been seen regularly near Banff’s Cave and Basin since April 25 and was spotted by several residents taking a stroll through the Middle Springs residential neighbourhood on May 1.
Parks Canada wildlife officials say there is a chance it is one of three offspring of bear 64 which were seen hanging around on the outskirts of town without their mom before heading into the den last fall.
“We can’t say it definitely is or isn’t,” said Steve Michel, human-wildlife conflict specialist for Banff National Park. “It’s just one bear travelling on its own, but it would fit the size and age and geographical location if it is one of 64’s offspring.”
Bear 64 was last spotted on Oct. 2, 2013. Three days later, her three two-and-a-half-year-old offspring were seen on the outskirts of town and hanging out in a residential yard off Springs Crescent, but there was no sign of their celebrity mom.
Wildlife experts can’t say for sure what has happened to 64, whether she is alive and simply kicked her cubs out early and went off on her own, but they are hopeful the 24-year-old bear will show up later this spring, perhaps even with new cubs in tow.
All five grizzlies fitted with GPS collars as part of the joint Parks Canada-Canadian Pacific Railway are out of their dens, including female bears 72, 138 and 130 and male grizzlies 126 and 128.
Parks officials suspect all three females may have cubs in tow this spring, though there has been no visual confirmation at this time.
Bear 72, the best known female bear in the Lake Louise area, first began moving outside her den earlier this week and is staying at higher elevations. She kicked her two three-year-old offspring out on their own last year, and was later seen mating.
Michel said they suspect bear 138 and 130 will also have cubs. Bear 130 is the female grizzly whose yearling offspring were killed on the train tracks in 2012 near Muleshoe about 10 kilometres west of Banff.
“We would be surprised if they didn’t all show up with cubs this spring. That’s certainly our hope and our hunch because they were all engaged in breeding activity last spring,” said Michel.
“Of course, that is all dependent on body fat levels heading into the dens and how well they fared.”
Michel said he expects most bears in the region will be out of their dens in the coming weeks.
“Some are staying up high on exposed slopes looking for carcasses and digging for roots, and other ones are coming down to valley bottoms hoping to find the first green vegetation,” he said. “It looks a lot like winter, but the bears are trying hard to make a living on the landscape.”
Michel said now is the perfect time for residents and visitors to brush up on bear safety skills, reminding people that they may encounter a bear anytime on any trail – even close to town.
He said people should remember to carry bear spay and know how to use it, look ahead and watch for bear tracks, droppings and diggings, as well as travel in groups and make lots of noise.
“It might look like winter out there with all this snow, but it’s bear season and you should make sure you are up to speed on bear safety,” he said.
Parks Canada asks that any bear sightings be reported to dispatch at 403-762-1470.
