Residents in communities on the northwest edge of Calgary are being warning to keep an eye out for a grizzly that was seen wandering through a backyard in Bearspaw.
Janelle Donaldson lives in Blueridge Estates and is used to seeing wildlife in the area.
She was having coffee in her kitchen and was surprised to see a grizzly wander through her yard.
“And it came into my backyard and I happened to have my iPad right there, grabbed my iPad and took a whole bunch of shots, came out on my deck and just got a great shot of this huge bear right below me. It was quite exciting to see, then he just darted out through the back ,” said Donaldson.
Fish and wildlife officers were called out and so far have not seen the big bear. They are cautioning residents in the area to keep an eye out.
Tips on how to prevent problems between bears and people from Alberta BearSmart:
- Remember that bears are clever, curious and live to eat. Bears are in a constant search for new food sources. Once they have discovered a new food source it is extremely difficult to keep them from returning to it. To prevent problems from starting, never leave any kind of food for the bear to find.
- Remember that bears have an excellent sense of smell. Managing the smells of potential bear food - including human and pet foods, garbage, grains and harvested animals - is an essential part of preventing problems with bears.
- When in bear territory, keep food and garbage in airtight containers, and store anything that may have the smell of food or garbage away from humans and out of the reach of bears.
- Be BearSmart. Most bear encounters can be prevented. Learn how to avoid bear encounters and how to react if you find yourself in an unavoidable encounter with a bear.
For more information on being bear aware, visit the Alberta BearSmart website.
