Winter 2023 Newsletter

BVN presents programs on natural history and ecosystem management issues. Mark your calendar for 7:30 pm on the fourth Tuesday of every month from October to April, with the exception of December when our programming is replaced by the annual Christmas Bird Count and potluck supper.  Video recordings of past programs are available on our Public Programs web page.

Tuesday January 24, 7:30 pm

Jasper National Park’s Caribou Recovery Program

Lalenia Neufeld and Jean-François Bisaillon

Jasper Caribou Recovery Team Recovery members Lalenia Neufeld and Jean-François Bisaillon will discuss caribou and wolf population monitoring, managing species at risk and conservation breeding.

Layla has been a biologist and ecosystem scientist with the Caribou Recovery Program in Jasper National Park since 2006. She works in researching and monitoring woodland caribou and associated species like wolves. She has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta in biological sciences and a Master of Science in wildlife ecology and management. Her thesis included studies on caribou and wolves in the Little Smoky Caribou range.

 JF has been an ecologist and program manager with the Caribou Recovery Program in Jasper National Park since 2014. He has a Bachelor of Science from McGill University in environmental science and a Master of Science in physical geography. JF started his career with Parks Canada in Cape Breton Highlands National Park (Nova Scotia) before moving to the Western Artic Field Unit in Inuvik (Northwest Territories) for six years where he worked in a variety of positions including Monitoring Ecologist and Site Manager for Ivvavik National Park and the Pingo Canadian Landmark.

Tuesday February 28, 7:30 pm

Forewarned Is Forearmed: Ticks in the Bow Valley

Dr. Janet Sperling

Alberta is home to at least 14 species of ticks. Only a few are known to transmit diseases to humans, but those that do can cause a lifetime of misery. Ticks have been part of the Bow Valley ecosystem as long as there have been hosts to feed on. Different species of ticks are encountered in different environments, hard ticks being by far the most common. Knowing the type of tick encountered is important to helping your doctor to monitor and treat the diseases you may have been exposed to. Fortunately, small changes in our approach to the environment can mitigate the potential negative effects of ticks. Forewarned is forearmed.

Janet Sperling is an entomologist trained at the University of Alberta and the mother of four. After her son suffered from Lyme disease in 2004, she returned to the lab and undertook a PhD to better understand the bacteria associated with ticks in Alberta. She is currently President of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation and is a contract lecturer at the University of Alberta.  

Tuesday March 28, 7:30 pm 

Bats of the Rocky Mountains: Adaptations and Environmental Challenges

Dr. Robert Barclay 

Of the nine species of bats in Alberta, seven occur in the southern Alberta Rockies. Three species seem to use the Rockies as a migratory corridor. The other four are year-round residents, although we know of almost no winter hibernation sites. The Rockies are a challenging environment to study bats in, but also challenging for these small, nocturnal, insectivorous mammals is a growing season that is short and the nights are cold. Individuals in the mountain populations have several interesting adaptations that allow them to be successful. However, they are now facing a number of human-caused challenges, including white-nose syndrome and fatalities at wind-turbines. These put bat populations at risk. In addition, human structures have altered the bats’ natural community structure, favouring one species over all the others. How should we tackle these challenges?

Tuesday April 25, 7:30 pm 

To be Announced – save the date. Become a member or be sure you are signed up (at the bottom of every page on our website) to receive updates and watch for announcements.

Banff Community Plan

Bow Valley Naturalists were fortunate last fall to be selected as one of two non-governmental organizations to sit on the steering committee for the Banff Community Plan review. The primary objectives for the update of the Banff Community Plan are to: 

• Create the workplan for updating the Community Plan; 

• Provide the public with information about what the purpose of a Community Plan is and how it will be used;

• Create a public input process to compile challenges, opportunities and aspirations for Council’s consideration;  

• Review the current vision and strategies of the Community Plan to determine if updates are required for desired community outcomes; and

• Provide Council with an updated Community Plan for review and approval.

We are grateful to Jess Harding who has offered his time for this important process of BVN. You can find more about the Community Plan process and supporting documents on the Town of Banff website.  

Minister’s Round Table On National Parks

Every two years, the Minister responsible for the Parks Canada Agency holds a roundtable with Canadians interested to discuss the work of the Parks Canada Agency and look to the future of national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas. A round table session will be held in Banff this year in late January. BVN was invited to participate in this session which is characterized as a chance to provide “perspectives on Parks Canada’s role in Canada’s dynamic tourism sector.”

BVN is concerned that this sets a very narrow focus for providing feedback to the Minister responsible for a large and complex system of national parks. Locally, we have repeatedly expressed the concern that the entire Bow Valley is at a tipping point where it’s pointless to have a single topic discussion without taking into consideration ecological issues. Recommendations or opinions about mass transit, intercept parking, tourism or development are about as useful as beer hall talk without the early consideration of potential impacts or ecological limitations. That doesn’t mean we have to be paralyzed by ecological limitations, but without that focus, as defined in the National Parks Act, these discussions or recommendations are likely to not be productive. 

While the tourism sector is clearly an important player in any discussion about the future of Banff National Park, we think the Minister’s Roundtable session topic is far too narrow and hope the actual session will be open to other lenses for viewing Parks Canada’s responsibilities. We, including the tourism sector with the privilege of operating in these special places, should all be focused on how we can collectively work together within existing ecological constraints to growth, which ultimately requires Parks Canada to shift its focus from partnership mode to restoring a leadership mode that is consistent with the legislated mandate.

What BVN said: Rocky Mountain Outlook January 20, 2023

BNP Planning Forum and Two Key Projects

Banff National Park will once again be holding a planning forum in mid-February. This year’s forum will consist of a round table of invited participants to review highlights of 2022 and hear planning priorities for the year ahead. The forum will also provide facilitated sessions on two key projects – the 200 Block Banff Avenue redevelopment and the Lake Minnewanka Area Plan. There will not be a public session at this event. Watch for Banff National Park announcements about public engagement sessions for these key projects in early March and late April.

Moving People Strategy Report

 The report of the specialist panel on moving people sustainably has been released. BVN is very disappointed with the product. The panel did not include ecosystem integrity experts. It is perplexing how a panel of experts, who were commissioned by Parks Canada, can produce a report with recommendations that are contrary to Parks Canada’s principles and legal settings that set the context for viable solutions. The idea that a national park should supply land for more transportation infrastructure, such as parking lots and transfer points, beyond the existing footprints approved for development footprint is perplexing. It seems the opinion of these experts is that once again the ecosystem should be asked to trade land to meet the human demands for exponential numbers of more people.

We are very disappointed that, based on the report recommendations, the Town of Banff Council immediately started looking for ways to make a land “swap” happen. This is strange since the Bow Valley Study of the 1990s documented the cumulative threats to the montane ecosystem and recommended less development, not more. Are we now to ignore all the changes that were made based on ecosystem science so we can build more stuff in an already threatened montane ecosystem? Does anyone on Banff Council remember why the Bison Paddock and the Cadet Camp were removed? 

And swap land? It is possible to quickly come up with about three square kilometers of national park land, outside of the Town of Banff boundary, that are already removed from natural ecologic processes in perpetuity to protect the townsite from wildfire and flooding. The back side of Sulphur Mountain has a large logged swath that greets visitors to Banff and the Cave and Basin Marsh is now a dammed wetland with water regimes that eliminate beaver to protect Town infrastructure from flooding. Town of Banff Council should compensate the Park for loss of ecosystem integrity on those lands before they come to the table and ask for more parking lots.

We do congratulate Parks Canada for laying out a strong response that pushes back against the recommendation to build more parking lots on land that belongs to all Canadians. Parks Canada needs to also acknowledge its partnership and promotion of unconstrainted growth of human use in Banff National Park. Someone in a position of influence needs to step up and recognize that the issue is not how to move people into this Park sustainably. The real problem is coming to grips with how many visitors this ecosystem can tolerate without cumulative loss of habitat. 

Readers are encouraged to read the article from the January 19, 2023 Rocky Mountain Outlook for their reporting on this topic and more comments from BVN. The most recent Alberta Wildernness Association Wildlands Advocate also responds to this report. The full report may be found on Parks Canada’s Let’s Talk Mountain Parks website.

Future of Tourism Report

Banff-Lake Louise Tourism has just released the vision document  “Lead Tourism for Good: 10-year Vision for Tourism in Banff and Lake Louise”. The report may be found on the Tourism together website and key visions are broken into five “Trails to Tomorrow.” The vision most relating to ecosystem protection is titled “Nature Positive and Climate Action: Big Impression, Small Footprint.” Readers may wish to refer to the above article with “footprint” in mind. This part of the vision includes the following: 

Protecting the ecological integrity of the park is a source of pride for all who work, live and do business here. Fostering tourism that enhances the natural legacy of this place is integral. As partners, we want to take leadership in reducing the impact of tourism across all aspects of the health and integrity of the national park’s ecosystem and build on the shared benefits of sustainable adaptation and investment towards a regenerative and prosperous future for all.

Our Objective

Work together to ensure that tourism actively and ambitiously contributes to protecting our natural capital, not only reducing the footprint of everyone enjoying the park, but creating opportunities to have a positive impact.

Our measures of progress:

• Tourism footprint and impact reduction

• Energy consumption and water usage

• Transportation mode shift

Our Strategies:

 1. Enhance capability and capacity to measure and monitor the environmental impact

and footprint related to tourism in our destination.

2. Develop joint action programs to reduce barriers for sustainable adaptation of local

tourism businesses.

3. Create and implement climate action plans to reduce tourism industry emissions in

support of Parks Canada’s and Town of Banff’s ambitious GHG reduction goals.

4. Elevate and partner in initiatives that position our destination as a leader in nature-positive tourism and regenerative destination leadership.

5. Promote and support a comprehensive shift to sustainable and multi-modal

transportation options when visiting and exploring the park.

6. Collaborate across the destination to make sure the destination is accessible and

inviting for everyone.

Bow Valley Clean Air Society

There are many good organizations working to protect the environment in the Bow Valley. BVN would like to take some space here to introduce you to the work of the Bow Valley Clean Air Society (BVCAS). We hope you will find a way to support their work. 

BVCAS is a volunteer run, non-profit Society based in Canmore that envisions the Bow Valley to have excellent air quality free from air emissions negatively affecting people, the environment and the climate.  

 The BVCAS’s mission is to “improve and protect the air quality in the Bow Valley and minimize regional contributions to climate change.”  This is done by working with citizens, industry and municipalities to (1) make science-based air quality decisions, (2) monitor and research air quality, and (3) find practical solutions for improving and maintaining air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Bow Valley. 

For over 20 years, BVCAS has taken on many projects such as promoting energy efficiency initiatives, encouraging more biking/walking, hosting environmental and educational forums and encouraging industry to improve their operations. Some of their more recent activities include:

• Purchasing, installing and operating a number of fine particulate monitors in the Bow Valley. This has become an important part of what we do with new cost-effective air monitoring equipment and with the increase in wildfire smoke.  Go to this link to see local air quality readings. 

• Reviewing and critiquing the various rock industry operating permit applications.  With three large companies operating in the Bow Valley, this requires significant on-going effort.

• Ongoing support for the Calgary Regional Airshed Zone (CRAZ), of which we were a founding member.

• Reviewing and critiquing the proposed Calgary to Banff train project.

• Researching and promoting cleaner burning (or no burning) FireSmart methods.

• Advocating for better anti-idling enforcement and education.

• Promoting a closed-door policy for downtown businesses.  We recently submitted a formal report to the Town of Canmore on the GHG emissions associated with shop doors being kept open in cold weather.

• Researching indoor air filtration options with the increased wildfire smoke events.

In this time of wildfire smoke and climate change, many of us are compelled to make a meaningful contribution to ensure that the Bow Valley continues to be a great place to live. If you are concerned about air quality and want to be involved in our quest to continuously reduce emissions from citizens and industry, you are welcome to join!  BVCAS members have specific interests that align with the society’s goals. Those interests often result in interesting projects that volunteers work on. You can reach BVCAS through their website.

Shedding Light on Why We Need Dark Skies  

There seems to be lots of interest in reducing light pollution in our Bow valley communities. We hope readers will encourage local Councils to consider undertaking initiatives to reduce unnecessary lighting in and adjacent to our towns and living spaces. Aside from the advantages of removing unnatural light from the ecosystems within and beyond townsites, we believe artificial light where it is not needed, and is often not wanted, is wasted light. Wasted light represents wasted energy which corresponds to wasted energy resources and unnecessary emissions to the environment, such as carbon emissions, that are required to generate artificial light. In addition, light where it is not needed denies residents and visitors the health advantages and natural experiences associated with reduced artificial light in the environment. Explore the links below and send a message to Councils and municipal administrations that light pollution should be addressed.

Why We Need to Make the World a Darker Place             Our Blinding, Blaring World

Which Way Do Crossbills Bills Cross?

Cyndi Smith

To say that we don’t capture many crossbills at the Ranger Creek MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) station in Banff National Park would be an understatement. During our pilot day in 1998, we captured two hatch-year White-winged Crossbills (Loxia leucoptera; WWCR). Then 2001 was a banner year when we captured seven WWCR (two male and two female after-hatch-year, two second-year males, and one hatch-year of unknown sex) and four Red Crossbills (L. curvirostra; RECR) (two male and one female second-year, and one after-hatch-year female). But we didn’t capture any crossbills again for two decades, until we captured four WWCR (one hatch-year unknown sex, two second-year females, and one after-hatch-year male) and one hatch-year RECR of unknown sex in 2022! These events are likely indicative of irruptions, when crossbills range widely searching for conifer seed crops on which to feed.

 It was Greg Meyer, our bander in 1998, who noticed that the bills of our two WWCR crossed in opposite directions, as in the attached photo of a male and female from 2022. In RECR both crossing directions are equally probable, but in WWCR there is generally a 3:1 ratio in favour of the lower mandible crossing to the right (Benkman 1988). However, females more frequently had bills crossing to the left than males did (our other female had the bill crossing to the right). 

 James et al. (1987) hypothesized that crossing direction was related to the direction that cone scales spiral on the axis of the cone, but presented no evidence to support their theory. Benkman (1988) hypothesized a genetic basis for bill crossing that enhanced foraging efficiency, but Edelaar et al. (2005) did not find any genetic basis for which way the bill crosses. Interestingly, in a Bird Academy video from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology it is stated that WWCR do hold a cone in the claw towards which the lower mandible is curved, which apparently makes it more efficient to extract the seed. So, it appears that crossing direction is non-genetically determined, but the why is still undetermined. 

References Cited

1. Benkman, C.W. 1988. A 3:1 ratio of mandible crossing direction in White-winged Crossbills. Auk 105:578-579.

1. Edelaar, P., E. Postma, P. Knops, and R. Phillips. 2005. No support for a genetic basis of mandible crossing direction in crossbills (Loxia spp.). Auk 122:ART-XXX.

1. James, P.C., T.W. Barry, A.R. Smith, and S.J. Barry. 1987. Bill crossover ratios in Canadian crossbills Loxia spp. Ornis Scandinavica 18:310-312.

BVN’s 47th Annual Christmas Bird Count Tally (December 17, 2022)

Heather Dempsey, Banff-Canmore Christmas Bird Count Coordinator

Like last year’s count, I have to say that the conditions were less than ideal this year. Strong winds, blowing snow and wind chill all made it difficult for participants and their subjects to venture far. That said, a total of 44 different species and 2090 individual birds were counted by 82 participants between Banff  and Canmore. Collectively they spent 110 hours out in the field, covering 328 km (227 km on foot) to do it. I say this every year and I mean it, even with the bad weather it was still a great way to spend a wintery day.

Very few waterfowl were on the river and open water, two Canada Geese were seen in Canmore, 11 coots were taking advantage of the warmer water at the Cave & Basin Marsh, and a few wigeons, goldeneyes, green-winged teal and the usual preponderance of mallards made up the rest. Very few raptors this year. The party covering the Johnson Lake area, including a 4-year-old girl, were lucky to find a Great Horned Owl. Sightings of hawks and a Merlin were seen during the Count Week, but not on Count Day. Several Ruffed Grouse were counted in different locations in Banff. As usual, most of the different woodpecker species were counted, plus the usual members of the Corvid family (Jays, Nutcrackers, Crows, Ravens and Magpies). Compared to the last few years, only 32 Bohemian Waxwings were counted which is a long drop from our all-time high of 1769 counted in 2018. Do you remember all the Mountain Ash berries that year? We had a decent round up of dippers in various patches of open water. Fewer numbers of species and individuals of small birds – especially finches – than we were anticipating what with the massive number of  cones on valley spruce trees.

Wildlife signs included very old cougar and grizzly bear tracks somewhere on the Minnewanka Loop, plus the usual red squirrels, elk and deer seen throughout the area. A final highlight to the day was to once again gather afterwards for a potluck in Banff where we shared delicious food and stories of the day.

If you’re wondering how does this compare to other years data from past counts may be found here. Want to join us? There’s always next year to look forward to which will be on Saturday December 16th, 2023. 

The Banff-Canmore Talley (CW = observed during count week):

BowKan Birders 2022 Christmas Count

Cliff Hansen

 I was not expecting high bird numbers. The early onset of winter resulted in migratory bird populations fleeing south early. Our count of only 470 individual birds matches our previous lowest Christmas count in 1992. The count was also well below the overall average count of 1263 birds (includes CW birds). However, this time we identified 31 species of birds, six more than the 25 identified in 1992 but still below our overall average of 35 species. Our species count of 31 species is better than the first count but still below our 30-year average of 35 (includes count-week species). The Varied Thrush is a new addition to our list of winter birds. They have been seen in winter here before but this is the first sighting on a Christmas Bird Count. It is also encouraging to see that the eleven species on every previous count were again seen albeit in lower numbers.

The most pertinent factor leading to low numbers is the small sizes of groups of flocking birds such as Bohemian Waxwings, Snow Buntings, and especially finches. Other years these birds were counted in large flocks. For example, in 2007, several flocks of Snow Buntings added up to a report of 5076 birds. On this count only 38 Snow Buntings were reported. This is an extreme example but the same conditions applied to the other flocking species. Another condition leading to lower counts is related to aural identification of bird calls. This year many Pine Grosbeaks and White-winged Crossbills were identified by call. This time of year they are normally grouped into flocks, but unseen only one bird can be counted per call heard. The number of species identified is more important than the number of birds.

Mammal wise, our count was also below average with sightings of only a coyote, 13 Bighorn Sheep, and 35 Red Squirrels. However, fresh tracks in snow revealed the very recent presence of a Wolf, a Fox, Deer, Elk, Snow-shoe Hare, and a Vole.

The University of Calgary (U of C) Biogeoscience Institute (BGI) Kananaskis Country has assumed sponsorship for the BowKan Birder’s Species Counts. They are housing data from previous and future counts on their website where the data, upcoming events and other information can be accessed. You can even subscribe to receive updates.

Spiders in the Archives – At Tribute to Takatsuna B. Kurata

The Spring 2021 BVN Newsletter included an article “Norman Sanson’s Ice Crawlers” which talked about the involvement of Edmund M. Walker and Takatsuna B. Kurata and the history of the discovery of Grylloblatta on Sulphur Mountain in Banff National Park. This article prompted a response from a Chris Kurata who drew attention to the fact that it is usually the work of many researchers, often unacknowledged, that move the science of natural history forward. Mr. Kurata wrote:

“Much of Edmund M. Walker’s work was my grandfather’s, even the drawings for which Walker did not give him credit. One need only compare Walker’s drawings to my grandfather’s to recognize immediately who the artist is.” 

He was also kind enough to include a link to an archived digital copy of “Spiders, Handbook No. 4 of the Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology” written by his grandfather that was published in 1949. We recommend you follow the “web” and take a look at this publication to admire the fine art and science of nature. And learn about spiders. If you are keen, there are similarly beautifully hand-illustrated issues in this series listed at the end of the handbook. Use the authors’ names and title to find the archived versions on the web, or go directly through the Internet Archives search function.

BOOKS

Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts J. Drew Lanham

Cyndi Smith

I read a book of poetry maybe once every five years, so when a friend loaned me this book I was a little slow getting around to reading it, but I am glad that I finally made the effort. Lanham is a wildlife professor at Clemson University in South Carolina. His faculty profile describes him as a “birder, hunter and wild, wandering soul,” all of which are evident in this slim book of poetry and prose. In “Field Mark 73: How to Just Be” he writes that “Not being out; not wandering somewhere wild – seems sinful. There’s something wonderful I’m not witnessing.” And Lanham provides lots of witness in this book … to wood thrushes and wrens, to deer and kudzu, and to being a black birder.

The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi: Exploring the Microscopic World in Our Forests, Homes, and Bodies Keith Seifert

The Hidden Life of Trees and The Secret Wisdom of Nature Peter Wohlleben

If you have not sent your cerebral hyphae into these books yet, our readers suggest you do. Look them up on the web. The description will have you hooked in a moment! 

AND multiple readers wrote to say the following interesting titles are available through local bookstores and/or libraries…

Bitch: On the Female of the Species Lucy Cooke

Lucy Cooke is a zoologist with a love of spiders and wrote Bitch to create a balanced understanding of the “tussle” between the sexes. There is humour and detail in volume in service of debunking the story of the “dominant male and submissive female” persistent in science since Darwin’s early writings. Every page delivers wonderful learning opportunities. 

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law Mary Roach

Those who claim to manage the “others” — bears, trees, coyotes, monkeys, mice, rats, cougars, leopards and (even) beans — should read this book for the breadth of the research and the small slices of wisdom slipped into the text, sometimes irreverently. Human folly is not spared. The stories illuminate, shock, teach and stimulate a giggle or two and sometimes make the reader cry. 

Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses Robin Wall Kimmerer

A reflective, thoughtful journey into the world of mosses. Wonderfully illustrated by Howard Crum and the author’s father, Robert Wall. While the subject matter is tiny in scale, the scope of reflection is expansive and heart-warming. A perfect elixir for cold, winter nights when visions of green environments and songbirds fill one with longing. Robin Wall Kimmerer also wrote Braiding Sweetgrass, a book to read with lingering intent.

Humankind: A Hopeful History Rutger Bregman

A fascinating and easy read that dispels some serious myths about our ability to live in harmony with other humans and with the non-human world. It also explores some major implications for human-environment relations. If you are feeling pessimistic about the so called “anthropocene” this is a must read!  

Ice Walker: A Polar Bear’s Journey through the Fragile Arctic James Raffan

Tracking challenges for a single female polar bear, this story explores the changing world of polar bears, wrought by climate change. It is situated in Hudson Bay where polar bear populations are in sharp decline. 

Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl Jonathan C. Slaight 

Picture a Great Horned Owl on steroids, with wild ear tufts, that hunts for fish in shallow water at dusk and dawn. Most of the author’s tough field work was in winter in the Russian far east, where even the local people barely eke out a living.

Stone by Stone: Exploring Ancient Sites on the Canadian Plains Liz Bryan

The descriptions of stunning and subtle evidence of human presence in the southern prairies will likely interest everyone in the family and foster respect for the original peoples and the land itself. The sites shared in this will be easy to string together for adventures — as short as a day-trip or as long as a full-on vacations. 

The Last Giant of Beringia: The Mystery of the Bering Land Bridge Dan O’Neill

The Bering “land bridge,” probably formed many times, is now known as a land form, 1600 kilometres from north to south. Currently, the Bering Strait is shallow, averaging only 40 – 60 m deep flanked by deeper oceans north and south. Our understanding of Beringia is recent and is attributed, especially, to the work of one person, Dan Hopkins. His determination to bring together scientists from several countries and working in many different disciplines (botany, geology, paleontology, archeology and more) to share and resolve differing views, and to share information, to listen to the voices of indigenous peoples and to encourage graduate students all contribute to a robust understanding Beringia and the ultimate exchange of flora and fauna between the Americas and the landmass of Eurasia. 

The Story of Western Science from the Writings of Aristotle to the Big Bang Theory Susan Wise-Bauer

This book builds an understanding of the history and evolution of science to the present. Fantastic book!

INTERESTING LINKS

The Warblers

Hosted on Spotify, The Warblers is an award winning podcast with Canadian content, about birds and bird conservation including a recent assessment of what COP 15 achieved for the avian world.

RESPONSIBLE NATURE WATCHING

BVN cautions all readers to not use publicly accessible social media style applications to post the locations of sensitive natural features, plants or wildlife that will attract people to that location. It’s good to know nature is out there but in these days of social media such sharing of sensitive information will put the nature we love at risk of being loved too much.

You may come across situations or observations that you want to tell the authorities about. We recommend you have these phone numbers handy. Remember, cell phone coverage is spotty in the mountains so take notes if you need to move on to make a call.

• Ambulance, Fire Department, Police (RCMP): 911
• Banff Dispatch: 403-762-4506 for Park-related emergency only (avalanche, forest fire, mountain rescue, etc.)
• Banff Dispatch: 403-762-1470 for Park non-emergency (e.g. bear or large carnivore sightings, human-wildlife conflicts, injured animal, illegal park activities such as fire, camping, drones)
• Kananaskis Emergency Services 403-591-7755 for emergencies, bear, cougar and problem wildlife sightings, illegal activities. This is also the number to report a poacher. If you wish to remain anonymous while reporting a crime, phone 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)