A hiker narrowly avoided a charging grizzly bear encounter close to Troll Falls in Kananaskis Country, prompting a provincial alert. The bear approached the hiker at a distance of about a meter on Monday, leading to the issuance of a bear warning for the area until further notice.
The warning encompasses Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park, Evan-Thomas Provincial Recreation Area, as well as popular hiking trails such as Stoney Trail, Skogan Pass Trail, and Hay Meadow Trail near Kananaskis Village. Despite the advisory, the warning emphasized that bear encounters could happen at any time.
John Clarke, a former conservation officer in Kananaskis Country and head of the Canadian Bear Safety Authority, emphasized the importance of carrying bear spray and being knowledgeable about animal encounters in wildlife frequented areas. He highlighted the typical behaviors of bears when encountering humans and the significance of understanding their intentions.
As bears are in search of food after emerging from hibernation in late April, they are more active during this time of the year. The article further states that bears in well-visited areas like K-Country, Banff, and Jasper are accustomed to human presence due to high visitor numbers, making them more habituated compared to bears in less frequented regions.
The warning advises hikers to make noise, travel in groups, be vigilant for wildlife, keep pets leashed, carry bear spray, and secure food in bear-proof containers. Any wildlife sightings or incidents should be reported to 403-591-7755. The Ministry of Forestry and Parks was contacted for comments but did not respond at the time of publication.
Last summer, a bear warning was issued for all of Kananaskis Country, marking the first time since 2016 that such a widespread alert was issued for the area.