CANMORE – A large tree with rotting fruit seems to be the reason The Boss was lured to the rear of a property off Benchlands Trail in Canmore on Sunday evening (Nov. 3), raising fears the Bow Valley’s dominant male grizzly bear may return for an easy snack.
The Town of Canmore is investigating the matter after the patriarch of Bow Valley bears was shown in a video peering over the six-foot high fence of the Cougar Point Road property that backs onto Benchlands Trail, where a tree laden with rotting crabapples is located.
“Yes, it’s being investigated,” said Caitlin Miller, manager of protective services for the Town of Canmore.
The Boss, a.k.a No. 122, who has spent his life inside Banff National Park and found a way to coexist with residents and tourists, ventured into Canmore early on Sunday evening, spending time in the Palliser area before moving east toward Cougar Creek.
As he moved east, a video captures him crossing over Benchlands Trail as darkness set in and then shows him standing on his hind legs to peer over the six foot high fence. An Outlook photographer captured a photo of his print on the fence the following day.
As of Monday, the tree was still full of abundant over-ripe and rotting apples that covered most of the tree.
Long-time Canmore conservationist and resident Jim Pissot, who has complained about this particular crabapple tree in the past, said there is simply no excuse for fruit trees given ongoing education campaigns in this town.
“It’s such a big deal because the risk to bears is so high and the ability to address it is so damn easy,” he said.
“There is absolutely no excuse imaginable for wildlife attractants like fruit trees anywhere in the Bow Valley. This puts grizzly bears at risk.”
The Town of Canmore and Bow Valley WildSmart do a lot of work educating residents about removing fruit or chopping down the fruit-bearing trees, with the municipality offering a financial incentive program for tree removal.
A few years back, Pissot and his wife Valerie walked the neighbourhoods of Benchlands Terrace, Eagle Terrace, and Cougar Creek, providing flyers to home-owners regarding fruit trees and their danger to wildlife.
Pissot said most residents were enthusiastic to get information, but the primary pushback was from this one particular homeowner on Cougar Point Road.
Canmore’s bylaw is clear, he said, noting the rules stipulate no one shall permit a wildlife attractant to be placed or remain outdoors where a wildlife attractant is accessible to wildlife or attracts dangerous wildlife.
Pissot said he strongly urges the Town of Canmore to contact the residents and homeowner at this address and insist that all apples be removed from the backyard tree – and issue the appropriate fines under the bylaws.
“This is a huge wildlife attractant and we all know what rotten and rotting fruit smells like and a grizzly bear's sense of smell is incredible. And I have no doubt that a tree like that could attract grizzly bears for kilometres away,” he said.
“Their life depends on being able to smell food so a huge apple tree with kilograms of rotten aromatic fruit on it is likely almost irresistible for grizzly bears. Even though the fence is fairly tall, a fence like that is no hindrance to a hungry bear.”
Pissot said he dreads the death of any black or grizzly bears in this valley as a result of careless human actions.
“But when well-known and notorious bears are at risk, it makes you even more nervous,” he said.
“I hope it doesn't take the loss of a bear like The Boss to galvanize us even more.”
Pissot hopes The Boss heads west back into Banff National Park and goes into his den for winter sooner rather than later.
“While I will say that the province has made some good improvements in how they are dealing with human-bear interactions, and I congratulate them for that, I think Fish and Wildlife’s first priority is public safety,” he said. “So it makes you wonder whose priority is wildlife conservation?”
If The Boss remains in the Canmore area – although the last reports had him in Harvie Heights on Monday – Pissot said action may need to be taken.
“While I'm reluctant to see interference like this, perhaps this is a time to haze this bear back into the park and to get Parks Canada and Fish and Wildlife to actively monitor him,” he said.
As the famed bruin ages and perhaps starts to get pushed out by other large male grizzlies seeking dominance, Pissot said The Boss may be looking for easier meals, particularly at this time of year.
“Animals that are tired or old or injured frequently end up in more conflict with people because they find themselves looking for the easy meal,” he said
Miller said when peace officers were monitoring the bear Sunday evening, no wildlife attractants were accessed.
She said residents are reminded to remove their fruit from trees, keep pumpkins indoors, and keep barbecues clean.
“The whole community has a responsibility in removing wildlife attractants to keep wildlife and people safe,” Miller said.
“Wildlife attractants can continue to be reported to the Municipal Enforcement department at 403-678-4244 or enforcement@canmore.ca to initiate an investigation.”