Bear encounters plentiful on Kelowna walking path

KELOWNA, B.C. – A Kelowna woman who frequents the Mission Creek Greenway has captured images of just some of the bears she’s encountered since the middle of August.

Brenda Martinson’s bear sightings have taken place along 10km to 13.5km marks in the Scenic Canyon Park section along Phase Two of the Greenway.

“These are just a few of the bears I’ve seen including two different mother & cub pairs and several different single bears,” says Martinson.

All photos have been captured since the middle of August.

“I walk that stretch of Greenway almost every day – sometimes twice a day,” she says. “In the past three weeks I have probably seen bears 10 times.”

Martinson says the bears are not usually found on the path but on the hillside opposite the creek.

The photos are cropped and taken from a distance. Martinson hopes everyone will be cautious on the trail.

“These are wild animals and will be unpredictable if they feel threatened.”

She adds her bear encounters have always been passive with the animals not appearing to be agitated by her presence across the creek.

“In almost every encounter as soon as the bear noticed me it ran off. The photo of the bear and cub where the momma is standing upright was the only time that they stopped to watch me.”