Residents in the Bow Valley have a chance to put on their dancing shoes and kick a few bucks to grizzly bear research this weekend during a fundraiser being hosted at Communitea Cafe in Canmore.
Sarah Elmeligi, who recently left the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), is organizing a fundraiser that takes place Saturday (March 2) from 8-12 p.m. to help complete research for her PhD through Central Queensland University in Australia.
“My PhD is going to look at how grizzly bears navigate this landscape with people all around and it’s going to focus on the hiking trails,” Elmeligi said.
“It’s not about the highway or the train tracks, but it’s being designed to sort of compliment those research efforts so we can really understand this whole landscape from a grizzly bear’s prospective and really get a grasp on all the different human impacts that grizzly bears are dealing with on a daily basis.”
The fundraiser/dance party will have a suggested $5 cover at the door and also feature a raffle with items donated from local businesses such as tickets for the Canmore Folk Music Festival, backpacks from The North Face and fitness passes.
“I really wanted community involvement and public awareness to be a big part of my PhD thesis because I think getting the community involved in grizzly bear research and understanding the different kinds of research that’s happening is really important,” she said.
“I have been blown away with how supportive this community is and how many local businesses have donated different raffle prizes to help with the fundraiser,” she added.
“It’s a great place to start when you’re looking at generating awareness around grizzly bear research. People here are really engaged.”
Research will be focused on grizzly/human interactions on hiking trails as well as surveying tourists hiking in bear country to understand how aware and prepared they are for a potential encounter.
The funds are being raised for materials such as remote cameras, trail counters and GPS units that will be used while Elmeligi is conducting her research, which is set to begin throughout the Rocky Mountain parks (Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho) this summer.
“Ultimately, I want to create a series of recommendations that will maximize visitor satisfaction and appreciation of their park and their wilderness experience, but ensure impacts to grizzly bears are minimized.”
Volunteers wishing to help out are asked to comment on Elmeligi’s website at grizzlyresearchrockies.wordpress.com
