Rare white grizzly 'Nakoda' relocated away from Trans-Canada Highway
Officials with Parks Canada say they've relocated a rare white grizzly bear away from the Trans-Canada Highway and CP railway.
Wildlife staff captured and collared the well-known bear, nicknamed Nakoda by area residents, on June 21, at which time they were able to confirm it's a female.
The collar has GPS, which will help Parks Canada track and protect her.
Now that she's collared, her official designation is GBF178, or Bear 178.
Staff have since released her in an area within her home range but away from the dangers of the road and railway.
Officials say the actions were taken because she persisted in climbing the highway fencing and seeking out forage like dandelions on the wrong side of the fencing.
In a statement, James Eastham, a spokesperson for Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay field units, said the collar will help staff better anticipate when the grizzly will appear alongside the roadway.
"Parks Canada staff have been working hard to protect the white bear and will continue to encourage it to use safer habitat away from roads and the community of Lake Louise," said Eastham.
Nicknamed Nakoda, Parks Canada has given this white grizzly bear the official designation of GBF178, or Bear 178. (Parks Canada) The GPS collar will remain on the bear for a maximum of three years, before being remotely released.
As a backup to the timed drop-off mechanisms, the collar includes a section designed to decompose over time, causing the collar to fall off.
"Parks Canada takes the protection of wildlife very seriously and Parks Canada team members work hard to reduce human-caused wildlife mortality," said Eastham.
The same bear lost a sibling on June 7 when it was hit and killed. The bear's mother was hit and killed last year.
'SPLIT LIP' SUSPECTED TO HAVE KILLED 2 CUBS
Parks Canada believes two grizzly cubs were killed by an adult male grizzly this spring.
Eastham says Bear 142, a 12-year-old female grizzly, was seen in the Lake Louise area this spring with three cubs.
However, on June 22, Bear 136 – a male grizzly given the nickname Split Lip by locals – was seen chasing the cubs.
In subsequent days, Bear 142 was seen with only one cub, leading officials to suspect Split Lip killed two of the three young ones.
"Male grizzly bears are known to prey upon other bears including bear cubs," Eastham said. "While we regret the loss of any bear on the landscape, this is a natural occurrence and not uncommon behaviour."
Split Lip has preyed on the same grizzly's cubs previously.
In 2020, it killed a two-and-a-half-year-old cub near Morant’s Curve.
Officials are stressing that everyone has a role to play in keeping wildlife safe.
Drivers are ask not to stop if they see wildlife on the roadside, particularly along the Trans-Canada Highway, and to report wildlife incidents to Parks Canada Dispatch at 403-762-1470.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.