CALGARY- They’ve got tourists buzzing, but frequent sightings of bears in Banff National Park are proving to be deadly for the animals themselves.
A number of them have been spotted of late, including a grizzly who wandered onto a golf course.
“It’s really, really busy with bear activity right now,” says Michelle Macculo from Parks Canada. “We have seen bears at the golf course in the last few weeks, we’ve seen bears down Vermillion Lakes Road having some breeding battles.”
She adds the animals are hungry, which has them coming close to the Banff townsite to scavenge.
“This time of the year is what sets them up for a really great season. They are really hungry, it’s mating season, they are focused on getting nourishment.”
WATCH: Curious tourists get dangerously close to bears in Banff
Unfortunately, three black bears have been killed in the park over the past two weeks. Two were hit by cars, while the other was hit by a train.
“It’s hard on our staff at times,” says Rick Kubian from Parks Canada. “I was speaking to one of our staff who was at the Kootenay mortality, and they work hard to prevent it so it’s frustrating.”
The fate of another bear that was hit on the Trans-Canada Highway earlier this week remains unknown.
Parks Canada urges everyone to carry bear spray and be prepared for encounters.
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