Photo by Jason Leo Bantle / AllInTheWild.com
When encounters with bears make headlines, public attention tends to focus on the animal. Questions emerge about what the bear did, whether they had cubs, or whether they pose a future risk. But perhaps a more important question is what role did human behaviour play in the encounter? And what can we, as visitors to protected areas, do differently?
A recent grizzly bear encounter in Banff National Park has sparked conversations about bear behaviour and visitor safety. As more people enter protected areas, our actions increasingly impact the animals that live there. Coexistence requires us not only to give wildlife space, but to also consider how we occupy that shared space.
Human Behaviour Shapes Wildlife Outcomes
Reports indicate the hikers’ dog was off leash throughout the encounter, a factor that highlights how human choices influence the dynamics of wildlife interactions. Off-leash dogs can increase the likelihood of conflict with bears; a curious or protective dog may approach wildlife and elicit a defensive response. Even well-trained dogs can behave unpredictably when startled or excited by larger animals such as bears. This is why leash regulations exist in most national parks, in order to reduce risks and protect wildlife, pets, and visitors.
Another detail that has received attention is that part of the encounter was captured on video. In many situations, documenting wildlife seem harmless, but filming during an active encounter can pull attention away from what matters most: reading the animal’s behaviour, maintaining distance, and identifying an exit route. Capturing the moment should never come at the expense of awareness and safety.
More broadly, this incident highlights a reality that The Fur-Bearers have long emphasized: coexistence is not simply about wildlife adapting to us. It also requires us to reconsider our behaviour.
Photo by Michael Howie / The Fur-Bearers
Human Presence as a Wildlife Stressor
Wild animals already adjust to human presence in many ways. Grizzly bears alter movement patterns, adjust habitat use, and respond to areas of increased human activity. Every hiking trail, wildlife jam, or social media hotspot adds another disturbance they must account for.
The story of Grizzly 142 illustrates these cumulative pressures. Earlier this summer, one of her cubs was killed by a train, a reminder that wildlife must navigate a landscape shaped by multiple human influences, including transportation infrastructure, recreation, habitat fragmentation, and increasing visitation in parks. Reducing conflict begins with understanding those pressures and changing the behaviours we can control.
What Responsible Recreation Looks Like
As visitors, we may not be able to eliminate pressures on wildlife entirely. We can, however, avoid adding unnecessary ones. That starts with simple practices:
- Keep dogs on leash where required, and reconsider bringing them into areas with high wildlife activity.
- Carry bear spray and know how to use it.
- Hike in groups, particularly in areas with known bear activity.
- Make noise when moving through natural areas to avoid surprising wildlife and give animals an opportunity to avoid you.
- Respect trail closures and advisories, even when it means taking an alternate route.
- Give wildlife plenty of space. If an animal changes what it was doing prior to noticing you, you are too close.
These tips aren’t about making recreation less accessible or enjoyable. They’re about recognizing that protected areas like our national parks are first and foremost wildlife habitat. Preventing conflict begins long before a wildlife encounter, through the many choices we make while sharing these space with wildlife.
