Grizzly bear eats black bear on
popular Banff hiking trail
calgaryherald.com
Grizzly bear No. 122 feeds on a moose carcass in April.
The 225- to 275-kilogram bear completely consumed a
black bear in Banff National Park last week.
A large male grizzly bear is showing everyone who's boss
in the mountain parks. Earlier this month, officials closed
the Sundance Canyon area in Banff National Park after a
group of hikers came upon a bear known as No. 122
feeding on a carcass. They reopened the trail late
Tuesday after he moved on.
in the mountain parks. Earlier this month, officials closed
the Sundance Canyon area in Banff National Park after a
group of hikers came upon a bear known as No. 122
feeding on a carcass. They reopened the trail late
Tuesday after he moved on.
During the investigation into the incident, officials
determined the carcass was a small black bear. "It
had been completely consumed," said Steve Michel,
a human wildlife conflict specialist with Banff National
Park. "There was nothing remaining other than a
skull, a hide, the four paws and some bones."
determined the carcass was a small black bear. "It
had been completely consumed," said Steve Michel,
a human wildlife conflict specialist with Banff National
Park. "There was nothing remaining other than a
skull, a hide, the four paws and some bones."
It's believed it was a predatory attack on the black
bear."There were indications the black bear was
foraging on the trail at the time," he said. "It looks
like that black bear just happened to find himself
in the wrong place at the wrong time when a very
large grizzly bear came by."
bear."There were indications the black bear was
foraging on the trail at the time," he said. "It looks
like that black bear just happened to find himself
in the wrong place at the wrong time when a very
large grizzly bear came by."
Michel said he didn't expect there was much of a fight.
"This is grizzly bear No. 122, so he's a very large
grizzly bear," he said, noting it's a 225- to 275-
kilogram grizzly bear killing a 45-kilogram black
bear. "I don't think there would have been much
of a brawl that took place. "It would have been
fairly quick."
grizzly bear," he said, noting it's a 225- to 275-
kilogram grizzly bear killing a 45-kilogram black
bear. "I don't think there would have been much
of a brawl that took place. "It would have been
fairly quick."
Although it's not a common occurrence, Michel
said there are other documented cases of grizzly
bears feeding on black bears — including No.
122 eating another small black bear around the
same time last year.
said there are other documented cases of grizzly
bears feeding on black bears — including No.
122 eating another small black bear around the
same time last year.
"He's definitely the dominant animal out on the
landscape, so there are very few animals that
would compare against him in terms of size," he said.
landscape, so there are very few animals that
would compare against him in terms of size," he said.
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