Simone Heinrich remembers the first time she saw river otters in Jasper National Park. “I was just amazed at how playful they are. They are so fun to watch, sliding around on their bellies, chasing each other around and moving in and out of the water with such ease,” the wildlife photographer said. ...

The bighorn sheep is Alberta’s official mammal, and when you’re in Jasper National Park, they’re one of a handful of species that you can dependably spot. Typically, visitors see bighorns on the side of the road, where they congregate in several well-known locations to lap up minerals found in road ...

View Post Kirsten Schmitten is a Master Interpreter, and owner of the locally-based company All Things Wild .   She loves the questions folks ask, especially when they stump her.  Contact the The Jasper Local to ask your Wild Question. Master Interpreter Kirsten Schmitten answers All Questions Wild....

My watch claimed it was morning, but as I walked towards my snowmobile it was still dark. The snow crunched loudly beneath my boots, as it does when the thermometer dips below -30℃, and when I drew breath, I could feel the crispness of the frigid air as it entered my lungs. I swung my arms in a vain...

Simone Heinrich is always excited when she has a chance encounter with a pine marten.  Pine martens—or American martens, as they’re officially known—are members of the weasel family. They’re known for their quickness and agility, which, as Simone will testify, makes them hard to photograph. “I’ve sp...

Three backcountry users in Jasper National Park were given hefty fines for entering areas closed for caribou conservation. On November 24 Jasper Provincial Court heard that last spring, three individuals were charged by Parks Canada law enforcement officers for trespassing in delayed-access areas. A...

After a brief respite, the two warriors faced off once again. It was early winter, and the rut (mating season) was in full swing. Nearby, a large group of female caribou were the motivation for the epic bout. I had been watching the bulls fight for more than half an hour. These were two battle-scarr...

Rising freestyle skiing star, Gage LeBlanc, is used to giving 100 per cent, but even he can’t believe his fundraising goal is at 105 per cent. Thanks to a big push at an October 21 silent auction and lobster dinner hosted by Earls in the Rockies, Gage is now headed to Sweden to train. “We did it! I ...

Skiers, horseback riders and hikers lose out; backcountry lodges forced into disrepair Riding across Maccarib Pass into the Tonquin Valley feels like passing through a mist-filled portal into Narnia, a magical place populated by mythical creatures, including grizzly bears, wolverines and endangered ...

This story originally appeared in the March 1, 2020 edition of The Jasper Local . Author’s note: If any names have been changed, it’s to spare the blushes of Jasper’s stolid citizens. Those who dream by night . . . wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous...

At least 10 bears using townsite to feed on ornamental fruit and berry trees Jasper National Park is planning to remove several bears from the townsite. For weeks, multiple black bears, including two sets of female bears with cubs, have been feeding on the abundant fruit in a variety of non-native f...

Andrew Bovard is back on top of the 24 hour solo mountain biking podium. The 45-year-old Jasperite took home first place in the Masters category at the recent Canadian Rockies 24 , held at Canmore’s nordic centre. “That course is the hardest 2-4 course,” Bovard said. “It’s rooty, rutty and rocky.” B...

There’s a cute book in the Jasper Museum called Bears in the Alley . It’s a compilation of stories, mostly by Jasper old timers, who regale readers with recollections of life living with black bears. Back in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, not only were there plenty of bears in Jasper’s alleys, but there we...

Amphibian enthusiasts, take note: it’s toad time in Jasper. Area lakes are swimming with toads right now, and if you’re relaxing on a Rocky Mountain lake, for example, you might just encounter a toad takeover. “Right now Western (Boreal) toads are transforming and leaving their breeding ponds as toa...

As the August Long Weekend takes shape and Parks Canada reminds visitors and residents to be bear-aware, two grizzlies that were hanging out in downtown Jasper are keeping their distance far in the backcountry Two habituated bears, translocated by helicopter into the Jasper National Park backcountry...

The Pacific Decadal Oscillation is still being studied, but high water events in the Rockies offer clues Medicine Lake has breached its banks for the fourth year in a row and a river scientist from the University of Lethbridge is suggesting the occurrence has not as much to do with climate change—al...

Photos by Simone Heinrich Coyote pups are starting to make their annual appearance in Jasper National Park. The pups are venturing out of their dens and beginning to use their eyes, ears and noses to learn about the world around them. An average litter size of six makes for many playmates and there ...

Photos by Simone Heinrich It’s baby time in Jasper—elk calves, moose calves, sheep lambs and goat kids are out as well as goslings, ducklings owlets…and bear cubs. Simone Heinrich photograph Bear cubs are full of energy and can provide some great entertainment when there are safe viewing opportuniti...

When 16-year-old freestyle skier Gage LeBlanc gets into the starting gates of a mogul course, he has to stare down 160 knee-high bumps of solid snow and ice, plus two huge jumps off of which he will spin, flip and twist through the air. “It can be intimidating,” LeBlanc explained. “You have to reall...

Two grizzly bears that had been habituated to using the Jasper townsite have been captured and relocated to a remote part of Jasper National Park. The three-year-old siblings, which were “skinny and food-stressed,” according to Parks Canada human-wildlife conflict specialist Steve Malcolm, were capt...