A hiker narrowly escaped a charging grizzly bear near the popular Troll Falls hiking spot in Kananaskis Country, prompting a provincial alert. The bear came within a meter of the hiker on Monday, leading to a bear warning in the area until further notice.
The warning encompasses Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park and Evan-Thomas Provincial Recreation Area, including well-known hiking trails like Stoney Trail, Skogan Pass Trail, and Hay Meadow Trail near Kananaskis Village. Despite the advisory, encounters with bears can happen at any time, cautioned the warning.
John Clarke, a former conservation officer in Kananaskis Country who now heads the Canadian Bear Safety Authority, emphasized the importance of carrying bear spray and being prepared to handle wildlife encounters. He advised that bears emerging from hibernation in late April are primarily focused on finding food.
During breeding season in late spring, bears start preparing for winter by consuming high-fat diets. Clarke noted that bears in popular areas like K-Country, Banff, and Jasper are more accustomed to human presence due to regular visitor traffic, unlike more remote regions.
To enhance safety, the warning suggests making noise, traveling in groups, watching out for wildlife, leashing pets, carrying bear spray, and storing food in bear-proof containers. Any wildlife sightings or incidents should be reported to 403-591-7755.
Despite attempts to reach out to the Ministry of Forestry and Parks for comments, CBC News did not receive a response by the time of publication. Last summer, Kananaskis Country was placed under a bear warning, marking the first Kananaskis-wide alert since 2016.
