CALGARY- A huge grizzly bear was spotted roaming around a community just north of Calgary on Friday morning, much to the shock of those living in the area.
Janelle Donaldson was just about to leave her Bearspaw home to go for an early morning run, when she was spotted the adult bear sitting in her backyard.
“I was just freaking out. I wanted to have my camera because I thought no one was going to believe this, so I just grabbed it and started snapping,” she remembers. “It wasn’t until after that I thought ‘what would I have done if I would have been in the back yard? And I thought ‘I would have just ran.’”
She quickly called 911 and began warning her neighbours.
“I think it’s amazing, I love them, but if I am running I might get scared,” says Anne-Marie Bienvenue, who also lives in Bearspaw. “Maybe it’s time to get a little more careful.”
Fish and Wildlife Officers say there was another bear spotting reported shortly after Donaldson phoned in, so they sent out a helicopter to track the animal.
“We have confirmed it is a grizzly bear, an adult grizzly bear, and it’s just passing through and wandering around the area, following its nose like bears do,” explains Fish and Wildlife officer John Tetz. “People shouldn’t worry about safety, but they need to keep their head up and eyes open.
“Right now it’s important to make sure their yards are bear proof and free of attractants.”
Those living in the area shouldn’t leave garbage or pet food outside, and are asked to clean the grease off of their barbeques.
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