Bear Day 2019

Date/Time
Date(s) - Sat Apr 13 2019
9:30 am

Notes:

To coincide with bears’ emergence from their winter dens, Alberta Parks and WildSmart are once again hosting Bear Day at Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park’s Day Lodge.

This event is a celebration and welcoming of grizzly bears back on the landscape for another year. It’s also a great opportunity for the public to learn more about our area’s grizzly bears and serves as a reminder that it’s time once again to be bear aware.

Indoor and outdoor activities include bear spray demonstrations, safety talks, a bear trapping demonstration, and a scavenger hunt for the kids! Learn how to camp safely in bear country, and view grizzly bear and other wildlife displays. Back by popular demand, we will have a hike for families to learn the ins and outs of being “bear aware” on the trail in a fun and interactive way (registration required).

This is a FREE family-friendly event! Activities begin at 9:00 am and end at 3:00 pm. In the event of inclement weather, the majority of activities will take place indoors.

 

Bear Safety Talks

9:30am & 1:45pm – Main Day Lodge Banquet Room upstairs.   

Do you know how to behave when you’re in bear country?  Join a Human-Wildlife Conflict specialist for a 45-minute talk on how to reduce your risk of encounters with bears and what to do should an encounter occur when recreating in bear country.

Bear Spray Demonstrations

10:00am & 11:00am & 1:15pm & 2:15pm – Outside in the stadium area west of the Main Day Lodge.

In response to high demand, bear spray demonstrations with inert bear spray are being offered throughout the day. Come try it out for yourself!

Family Bear Awareness Hike

10:30am & 1:45pm – Register at the welcome table to participate in this walk (group limit: 20 people). 

Join WildSmart and Alberta Parks staff for this fun and educational walk through bear country! You’ll learn how to use bear spray and how to prepare for a hike in bear habitat. On the trail you’ll practice how to avoid bears and how to handle a variety of different bear encounters with help from the WildSmart bear. This hike is designed for families and children must be accompanied by an adult.

Bear Day Official Welcome

12:00pm – Outside at the bear culvert trap west of the Main Day Lodge.      

Join us as we welcome bears back from their long winter sleep.

Bear Trapping Demonstration

12:30pm – Outside at the bear culvert trap west of the Main Day Lodge.  

How does a bear culvert trap work? Why does Alberta Parks want to trap adult female grizzly bears in the Kananaskis Valley? Join Conservation Officers at 12:30 pm to trap a grizzly bear “volunteer” in this ½ hour demonstration.

For more information about Bear Day call the Kananaskis Information Line at 403 678 0760