CANMORE - A black bear will be relocated from Canmore after it was treed and darted in a busy residential and commercial area on Saturday (Aug. 31).
Fish and Wildlife officers darted the treed bear, a sub-adult female showing signs of habituation, around 1 p.m. near Kananaskis Way and Bow Valley Trail after it had been frequenting the area since Monday (Aug. 26).
"Officers were then able to tree the bear in a more suitable location," wrote Jason van Rassel, a spokesperson for Alberta Justice and Solicitor General. "This time, a Fish and Wildlife officer successfully immobilized the bear as Canmore bylaw officers, an RCMP officer and a conservation officer contained the area.
"Officers are assessing the health of the bear and so far it seems healthy."
A black bear was running around the Kananaskis Way area today in #Canmore. It was darted and will be relocated. pic.twitter.com/ubhWtkAvvb
— Jordan Small (@jordiesmall) September 1, 2019
Residents and visitors on scene said the bear was in the area all morning.
"At about 11:15 a.m., a Fish and Wildlife officer received a second call about a bear on Kananaskis Way, feeding on berries and dogwood on the roadside," wrote van Rassel. "An officer monitored the bear as an RCMP officer, a conservation officer and municipal bylaw officers contained the immediate area. The bear went up a tree on its own — however, the Fish and Wildlife officer determined it was an unsafe location to try to immobilize the bear, because a balcony fence and jagged boulders below the tree which could have injured the bruin if it fell out of the tree."
Canmore Fire-Rescue responded just after noon to the bear in the residential area.
Tower-1, our articulated aerial platform, is responding at the request of one of our partner agencies to assist with a bear in a tree. #LivingWithCritters
— Canmore Fire Rescue (@CanmoreFireRes) August 31, 2019
At about 12:30 p.m., the bear ran down the street from 190 Kananaskis Way towards Bow Valley Trail before steering into the wooded area and pathway in front of Solara Resort and Spa.
Fish and Wildlife officers, RCMP members and bylaw officers followed the bear, where it was treed, darted and relocated shortly after.
"Fish and Wildlife officers believe the bear had been frequenting the area since last Monday and was showing signs of habituation," wrote van Rassel.
On July 31, a black bear was relocated from a residential area in Canmore after being struck by a vehicle on the Trans-Canada Highway.
Wildlife experts said black bear activity in Canmore and Banff is heightened this year due to the wetter summer and abundance of buffaloberries in the area.