The 11th annual Mountain View BearSmart Society Family Fun Day saw guests of all ages learn about good ways to remain safe when visiting or residing in areas where grizzly and black bears and cougars live.
As in past years, the May 18 event was held at Elkton Valley Campground, west of Highway 22 and south of Sundre. Between 75 and 90 people attended, including many youngsters.
The event included displays on bear and cougar biology and safety, and information on identifying grizzlies, black bears, cougars, wolves and coyotes from their skulls, paw prints, scat, claws and hides.
This year’s event also included demonstrations on how to correctly use bear spray.
Wildlife biologist Chiara Feder has been involved with Family Fun Day since its inception.
She says bears are very active in the region at this time of year, making it important for everyone to exercise caution and to ensure that attractants are removed from properties, campsites and other areas.
Many of the kids in attendance enjoyed making birdhouse as part of craft activities at the daylong event.
Guests were also given a presentation on the ongoing Foothills Research Institute grizzly bear research project underway in western Alberta.
The project started in 2018 and involves compiling an inventory of grizzlies in the area from Highway 11 south to Highway 1, with Highway 22 on the east boundary and the Banff park boundary on the west.
Study officials want to capture and radio-collar between 10 and 15 grizzly bears as part of efforts to update information on the bear population.
Officials are trying to find landowners in Mountain View County who would be prepared to have culvert traps set up on their properties as part of the study.
Anyone interested in being involved can contact officials through mountainviewbearsmart.com.
BearSmart presentations will be starting at local schools in the next few weeks, she said.
The society works with stakeholders to inform the public about how to be safe around bears, cougars and other wildlife.
Tips for being bear smart include removing or securing attractants in yards and other properties such as garbage, pet food, bird feeders and compost piles.
On agricultural lands, be aware that livestock carcasses, green feed crops and grain storage can attract bears.
Tips for being cougar smart include being aware that feeding or otherwise attracting deer to your property will bring in cougars, and be cautious especially at dawn and dusk when near bushy and forested areas.
The society operates an online information-sharing system to report bear and cougar sightings in the region. See more at the society’s website.
