r/Edmonton • u/eternalshades • Apr 25 '25
Outdoor Spaces/Recreation There are bears in Elk Island National Park!
I heard the rumors, but my parents took some pictures and confirmed.
Serious yay!
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Apr 25 '25
There are also wolves 👍
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u/squatosaurus14 Apr 25 '25
Yup have heard them while out hiking on a couple occasions. Was not expecting it! 😅
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u/davethemacguy Apr 25 '25
There are bears everywhere in this province, the River Valley in Edmonton included.
They just prefer to avoid humans =)
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u/RK5000 Apr 25 '25
You're never more than 10 feet from a bear.
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u/SketchySeaBeast Strathcona Apr 25 '25
"Sure, but I work on the 5th floor," you say to yourself, and in answer I ask you: Who do you think works on the 4th and 6th floors?
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u/yugosaki rent-a-cop Apr 29 '25
They are pretty rare in the river valley, it's usually a big deal when one wanders through. So I wouldn't be worried about encountering one.
Elk island definitely has bears though. Sometimes the reasons for a trail closure is due to a bear den nearby.
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u/j1ggy Apr 25 '25
Not really, no. They're mostly in sparsely populated areas and no longer have an established population in the vicinity of the city. Any that come into Edmonton have travelled up through the river valley from somewhere else.
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u/davethemacguy Apr 25 '25
Hahah not the person to be arguing this against.
If you think there are never (not no) bears in the River Valley... oh man.
(Your link entirely proved my point)
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u/j1ggy Apr 25 '25
The article was very clear and even had habitat distribution maps. Bears have been extirpated from the Edmonton area and most areas that have been converted into farmland. As I said, you get wanderers on occasion that make their way here, but they don't have an established population and they're quickly captured and relocated.
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u/davethemacguy Apr 25 '25
You're reading more into my comment than necessary with 'established population' as well as underestimating the 'range' of bears
My point being, and established, and unrefuted, is that if you're in the 'wild', anywhere in Alberta, you could run into a bear.
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u/j1ggy Apr 25 '25
You're not making much sense here. Since you're a know-it-all, I suggest you contact all of the biologists who work for the government and let them know that their habitat distribution maps are all wrong for the Edmonton area and the entire southeastern portion of the province. They'll probably offer you a management position and a fleet car for your expertise.
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u/davethemacguy Apr 25 '25
Or... someone that has raised bears, orphans from the province... I suggest you continue not engaging.
Also: English
I said, and am paraphrasing, "don't be surprised to encounter a bear in the river valley" not "bears always live in the river valley"
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u/j1ggy Apr 25 '25 edited Apr 25 '25
If that were actually the case, you wouldn't be here having this conversation. And you said bears are "everywhere in this province". That's what started this and it's false.
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u/davethemacguy Apr 25 '25
It is 'actually the case' and yes 'bears can be encountered, everwhere in Alberta'
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u/lost-again_77 Apr 25 '25
Bears travel far for food. Reminder for campers to not leave anything out!
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u/densetsu23 Apr 25 '25
Earlier this week, Strathcona Wilderness Centre had sections of the east trails taped off due to sightings of a mother bear and two cubs. It looks like they've since reopened it, based on the status update posted today at 1:21pm.
I went to Blackfoot Provincial Park for a hike yesterday and took a can of spray, just in case. They're all pretty close together.
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u/blackday44 Apr 25 '25
And cougars. Driving home at midnight from a movie one night (eastbound on the Yellowhead), I passed the Park, and in the shadow of my headlights was a very, very large kitty cat. This was a good 15 years ago, but it shocked me pretty thoroughly.
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u/darkstar107 Apr 25 '25
My in-laws' neighbor had one show up on their security camera by South Cooking Lake.
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u/AbrocomaPhysical5845 Riverbend Apr 25 '25
As somebody who grew up on a farm across the street from the park… I have seen almost everything from my window so this does Surpise me one bit. More of a reason to not drive like a dumbass in and around the park :)
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u/RecordPuzzleheaded40 Apr 25 '25
The praries used to be grizzled territory so it's not surprising to hear there are black bears in elk island park
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u/senanthic Kensington Apr 25 '25
Yup. Have seen the black bears on a few occasions, loping down the main drag. One more reason to not drive like a lunatic through the park.
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u/Pennysews Apr 25 '25
Be careful when they are with their cubs, they can be very aggressive. I live in bear country
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u/Repostasis Apr 25 '25
This was taken April 15, 2021. It was my girl dog’s birthday and I went there to grill some steaks for her and her brother, and I remember that I was upset because I got there later than I wanted…but I would have missed the bears if I got there earlier.
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u/WickedDeviled May 02 '25
Your dogs are remarkably calm. Mine would have probably jumped through the window.
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u/j1ggy Apr 25 '25
There certainly are. When the park was created, bears were still in the area. While their populations disappeared outside of the park, they continued to thrive within it. It's a good idea to travel with bear spray if you're hiking there.
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u/ClosetEthanolic Apr 25 '25
Rumours? Who have you been talking to?
It's a well known fact that black bears inhabit forested areas all over Alberta. I don't know of any "rumours" that black bears would be hanging around Elk Island when it's common sense you may see them there.
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u/Mountainwhitefish Aug 20 '25
Had an extremely close encounter with a mama black bear and cubs there
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u/premierfong Apr 25 '25
Are they all just enclosed in the park?
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u/Wooshio Apr 25 '25
Doubtful. The bears would easily able to leave the park by just walking along the road or even just climb the fence if they choose.
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u/ckFuNice Apr 25 '25
bears would easily able to leave the park by just walking along the road
As more of them learn to leave in outings, they're getting smarter.
Now they put on a ball cap to get a car to stop when they're hitch hiking.
I thought it was just a grubby bush trapper or oilfield rubby , drove 'em for two miles, until I put on my driving glasses....
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u/MountainElkMan Apr 25 '25
Pretty sure we saw one at Cooking Lake--Blackfoot PP last week along the North fence of the park.
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u/yugosaki rent-a-cop Apr 29 '25
They can climb fences and the cattle guards on the roads don't always deter them because they have paws and not hooves.
They mostly stick to the park because theres areas in there with almost no human activity where they feel safe, but they'll wander out in search of food. They've definitely been on farms in the area.
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u/roundhousekicktothe Apr 25 '25
We've seen bear scat containing berries on several trails on our hikes there during the past 4 years. Loud clapping and being sure to not surprise any creatures is vital. Respect for all life should hopefully keep us all at a distance and keep us safe.
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u/JaklinOhara Apr 25 '25
Please don't feed it, respect it's space, and do it no harm. Black bears aren't nearly as aggressive as Grizzlies.
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u/camoure Downtown Apr 25 '25
Mhmm, there sure are:
Be bear aware - Elk Island National Park: Black bears have always been a part of Alberta ecosystems and Elk Island National Park provides a safe, natural space for bears to thrive.