As Alberta bears begin to emerge, famous Banff grizzly ‘The Boss’ wakes up
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The awakening of Banff National Park’s most iconic grizzly marked the beginning of the return of bears to the Alberta landscape.
Parks Canada calls him Bear 122, but most people in Alberta and across Canada know him as The Boss.
Believed to be between twenty and twenty years old, the Bow Valley Chief Grizzly is typically one of the first bears seen in Banff National Park each spring.
Wildlife photographer Chris Bloodoff, who has seen The Boss several times over the past few days, says this year is no exception.
“He’s still very tired, moves very slowly, and he’s probably sleeping about 20 hours a day right now, so he’s not doing a lot,” Bloodoff said.
As a Banff resident, Bloodoff is no stranger to bear encounters throughout the national park. He has been watching The Boss for the last seven years.
“Really it’s almost like seeing an old friend,” he said. “He looks great, doesn’t look like he’s aged a day.”
The giant grizzly is estimated to weigh between 650 and 700 pounds. He is the biggest bear in the Bow Valley, after Rival Bear 136, or Split Lip.
Boss is considered the dominant bear in the Bow Valley. But those who have followed the Banff patriarch over the years say he’s got competition in bear No. 136, Split Lip. (Photo credit: Jason Leo Bantel)
Bloodoff hopes people will go out looking for The Boss, and urges those doing so to be respectful of wildlife.
“I don’t like people following him,” Bloodoff said. “He deals with it all day long, from sunrise to sunset, you have a lot of people looking out for him. He doesn’t have many places to travel right now, so it’s a little tough.”
“He’s still awake and struggling to find food, so anything we can do to stay out of his way and keep him happy will be best for our bears.”
Parks Canada restricts campground access
“Bears in Banff National Park are awake and active,” Parks Canada said in a statement sent to CBC News.
Lake Louise Trailer Campground, located just outside the village, is closed to all tents, tent trailers and soft-sided pop-out units.
According to Parks Canada, the closure, from March 25 to December 15, is due to “seasonal bear activity.”
“Bear activity will begin to increase as spring approaches,” said a statement from Parks Canada. “To ensure the safety of wildlife and the public during this sensitive time of increased activity, the area may be closed as necessary.”
Last year, a High number of bear encounters Provincial parks led to release of Alberta Parks warning of a blanket bear For the entire Kananaskis Country – the first time such an advisory had been issued since 2016.
