Some of you may have seen the viral video of the grizzly bear circling a woman walking her dog near Mount Engadine Lodge. The footage is unsettling, showing the bear following the pair for more than a minute while appearing to focus primarily on the dog.
Thankfully, neither the woman nor her dog was injured, but the encounter left many people wondering whether this has been an unusually active bear season.
What you may not know is that it wasn’t the first concerning encounter in the area this spring. Earlier in the season, a pedestrian was bluff-charged by a grizzly on Mount Shark Road. Alberta Parks responded by temporarily closing the Tryst Lake parking area and issuing bear warnings for the surrounding trails, including the Mount Engadine Lodge area.
There have also been notable bear encounters elsewhere in the Rockies. A black bear damaged an unoccupied backcountry tent at Lake Minnewanka, prompting the closure of several trails and campgrounds.
Another bear warning was issued around Boom Lake after a black bear closely approached a hiker. Closer to home, Glacier National Park and Rogers Pass have seen repeated grizzly and black bear sightings this spring, while Yoho National Park has also posted a number of wildlife advisories and temporary trail restrictions.
Adding to the public’s concern was the fatal grizzly attack earlier this month in Glacier National Park in Montana, the park’s first fatal bear attack in decades. While that incident happened hundreds of kilometres from Golden, stories like that naturally shape how people think about bears closer to home.
So the question remains: has this actually been a worse-than-normal spring for bears, or has it simply felt that way?
One thing that is certain is that visitors to the Rockies have encountered an unusually high number of temporary wildlife closures this spring. Parks Canada and Alberta Parks have repeatedly restricted access to trails, campgrounds and roadside areas to give bears the space they need to feed, travel and raise cubs without human interference.
At first glance, those closures might suggest bear activity has increased dramatically. However, they may also reflect a more proactive approach to wildlife management. Rather than waiting for a conflict to occur, park managers increasingly close areas as soon as bears begin using them regularly.
The goal is simple: prevent encounters before they happen. Giving bears plenty of space greatly reduces the chance that they will feel threatened or become accustomed to people. It also helps prevent bears from becoming food-conditioned or habituated, outcomes that often end badly for both bears and humans.
That strategy appears to be working. Despite several high-profile encounters across the Canadian Rockies this spring, there have been no publicly reported bear-related injuries in the Rocky Mountain parks of British Columbia or Alberta.
There is also another factor that may be shaping our perception. Social media has made it easier than ever to see these encounters as they happen. Years ago, many of these incidents may have been known only to the people involved.
Today, a dramatic video can reach millions of people within hours, making bear encounters feel more frequent than they actually are. So, is there cause for concern? In bear country, there is always reason to stay alert. As someone who has had more than my fair share of bear encounters, I know firsthand that you can never become complacent.
The power and unpredictability of these animals deserve respect every time you head into the backcountry. At the same time, there is little evidence to suggest the Rockies have suddenly become more dangerous this year than in previous years. Bears have always been part of these mountains.
Perhaps what has changed most is how quickly we hear about them, and how proactively parks are managing shared spaces to keep both people and wildlife safe.
As always, check trail reports before heading out, respect closures and bear warnings, carry readily accessible bear spray, travel in groups whenever possible, and remember that giving a bear plenty of space is one of the best ways to ensure everyone gets home safely.
