A quiet family neighbourhood on the edge of Cochrane’s scenic riverway erupted into excitement and a bit of panic on Thursday morning.
School-aged children waiting on the sidewalk for a big yellow bus saw a black bear dart across the road.
“There was a message on our neighbourhood mom chat,” Cochrane resident Mindy Gallup said.
“A bear was spotted between two houses right across the street from the bus stop, so there was this eruption and parents were sending other parents to be with the kids.”
The bear darted away quickly, but it’s not the first time a black bear has poked around the community. It’s the talk of the block with bear warning signs hanging at the entrance to many walking paths in the town.
“(A bear) was in my backyard and tipped over the compost bin and delicately pulled one bag apart,” Gallup said.
The bear’s muddy prints are still on the bin.
“(The bear) didn’t climb the fence, he just went for this blue bin on the other side of the fence (because) there was bacon fat on a paper towel, (and) he ate that,” said Stan Cordingley, who also lives in the neighbourhood. “We see them now and again, but nothing as bad as this year.”
Cordingley added that his neighbours have been trying to make sure fruit trees are bare and are keeping their garbage in their garages. Still, he said, a bear is continues to come around.
READ MORE: 7 bears euthanized in Crowsnest Pass following human interactions
It’s not just Cochrane dealing with backyard bears. Banff and Canmore have also had some visitors.
“I think this year there’s been at least nine bears relocated from Canmore and three bears euthanized — all because they accessed human food,” said Nick de Ruyter, the program director for WildSmart in Canmore.
“This year we had a poor buffalo berry crop for the second year in a row, and if they (bears) don’t get those berries, they will often follow their nose and stomach into town,” de Ruyter said, adding the warmer weather is giving the bears a longer season to find food.
Global News requested an interview with someone from Alberta Fish and Wildlife but was told officers are inundated with so many bear calls that they were unable to do an interview before this article was to be published.
Wildlife experts are advising people to be bear smart and to carry bear spray, especially when walking alone.