Buffaloberry Season Prompts Bear Warning Across All of Kananaskis and the Bow Valley
Leah Pelletier
Rocky Mountain Outlook
BOW VALLEY — An increase in bear sightings and encounters has prompted a bear warning for the entirety of Kananaksis Country and the Bow Valley as of Tuesday (Aug 12).
With buffaloberry season in full swing, WildSmart program director Nick de Ruyter says an excellent bumper berry crop this year is cause for the increased activity, leading to more encounters.
"All provincial parks and protected areas in Kananaskis have seen an increase in bear sightings in day use areas, campgrounds, trails and along roadways. There has also been an increase in reported close encounters with both black bears and grizzly bears,” said an Alberta Parks advisory.
While there are still warnings in place for specific areas such as Galatea trail and Buller Mountain trailhead, people should prepare and expect to see bears anywhere in the Bow Valley.
“The next few weeks are that really crucial time of year for [bears] to eat a s much as possible so they can survive the upcoming winter, so for them it’s go time,” said de Ruyter.
“Food is the only thing on their mind and because of that they're not really paying attention to what else is going on around them.”
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