A fed bear is a dead bear.

This has been the line from conservationists and park officials for some time. Yet in the past two weeks, there have been five separate incidents reported of bears allegedly being fed by passing motorists on the Icefields Parkway. It is a stupid and dangerous behaviour that must be stopped as soon as possible.

A report on the status of grizzly bears in Alberta demonstrates a direct correlation between mortality rates and proximity to roads. Within the mountain parks, bear are frequently draw to roadsides at this time of year because of readily available food sources. This can come in the form of dandelions and other vegetation that grows in open spaces. However, once human food sources enter the equation, bears, who are extremely opportunistic feeders, learn an often fatal behaviour. Motorists who get too close to animals also present a problem, as they stress the animal and eventually teach the beast humans are not dangerous. Habituation to humans only ends up shortening a bear’s life, and if they begin hanging around roadsides or train tracks, their chances of getting hit are quite high. 

After acquiring a lack of fear of people, and the same bears often end up causing trouble in campgrounds, and must be removed or destroyed by Parks Canada officers.

Most residents of the mountain parks know this. We live with it every day and witness the effects of wildlife habituation. A quick drive to Hinton, and one quickly realizes the behaviour of big horn sheep in that area is unnatural and dangerous. Elk living in the townsite is a novelty, but again a case of unnatural behaviour. Longtime residents in the Rocky Mountains recount stories of sneaking up on elk downwind while hunting from long distances away. Those stories seem laughable today. But there is an onus on those in the know to pass on this information to visitors. Jasper wants more tourists, but that requires a beefed-up wildlife education program.

Public education is a slow process, but it is key to the survival of wildlife in Jasper National Park. It is encouraging to see JNP has launched a wildlife guardian program, which will help educate the public and turn wildlife jams into educational experiences. Adapting Banff National Park’s lead, there is now more of an acceptance of these events and the opportunity to provide a teaching experience.  More than 90 per cent of visitors to Jasper National Park stated in a survey last year they want to see wildlife.

While it is embarrassing and frustrating that we need to repeat such a simple message as don’t feed the bears, it is paramount to the ongoing enjoyment and survival of wildlife in the park.

Let’s keep them wild.