Alberta wildlife officers trap 3 bears in Canmore

Wildlife officers say bears are more likely to frequent areas where humans live in search of food for the winter's hibernation.

CALGARY -

Alberta Fish and Wildlife crews have captured a trio of black bears and officials say the action was taken in response to a rise in bear activity in residential areas of Canmore.

The latest report comes after a Canmore resident took a video of a bear on Wednesday morning in the Cougar Creek area, on the north side of the Trans-Canada Highway.

The province says wildlife officers have already captured a sow and her cub, but are looking for another cub so that all three can be relocated together.

A third bear was captured on Tuesday, officials said. It has already been relocated.

It is not believed that the bear in the video was one of the animals that have been captured.

Officials say it's not uncommon for bears to be foraging for food anywhere they can find it around this time of year.

"As the days get shorter and the overnight temperatures drop, bears continue to put more and more focus on calorie intake in order to prepare for the upcoming hibernation period," said Ina Lucila, a spokesperson for Alberta Fish and Wildlife in an email to CTV News.

"Many of the berries that bears have relied on during the summer period have now been eaten or have dried up and fallen off the trees. Because of this, bears will travel more in order to find another food source, which sometimes causes them to wander into nearby human-habituated areas."

Albertans are urged to be Bear Smart to reduce the possibility of wildlife encounters.

Because of this, Lucila said it's important for residents to be aware of bear behaviour and do all they can to limit bear-human contact.

Some advice includes:

• Storing garbage in bear-resistant and odour-proof containers or buildings;
• Clean up or remove any possible attractants such as fruit on trees;
• Make sure the doors and windows on your home or business are secure;
• Avoid leaving pet food outside and;
• Clean barbecues regularly or store them inside a bear-proof structure.

If a resident encounters a bear or other wildlife, they should report the incident to the 24-hour Report a Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800.