All over Jasper National Park, bears are waking up…and they’re hungry. Wildlife photographer Simone Heinrich spotted this black bear—her first such sighting of the season—late in the evening, just as the sun was setting. It was snacking on the sticky buds of low hanging balsam branches and not reall...

“Hold on!” the pilot yelled. We had been surveying arctic caribou from a Dehavilland Beaver (often referred to as the best bush plane ever built). This particular aircraft’s “tundra tires” allowed its pilot to land just about anywhere, but our makeshift landing strip would be a real test. The ridget...

Photos by Patrick Barker for The Jasper Local An elk that fell through a partly frozen lake in Jasper National Park was given a new lease on life by Parks Canada staff. An elk fell through spring ice on Lac Beauvert April 17. // Patrick Barker On April 17 at approximately 5 p.m., a bull elk fell thr...

For ruffed grouse, winter in the Rockies can be a grind This ruffed grouse is getting some good lift off to get to those tasty rose hips. But wait, don’t they have wings for that? They do, but…a ruffed grouse’s wing feathers are designed to give them quick and powerful bursts of flight—maybe you’ve ...

“Mark, are you absolutely sure you need more photos of those grey birds sitting on grey rocks?” My wife was in the kitchen of our Jasper condo, clutching a steaming cup of coffee while watching me prep my gear for yet another day of photographing American Dippers. Advertisement inquires: andrea@rave...

It was a chilly evening in the winter of 2008. I was crossing the railroad tracks on the way home from work when I suddenly found myself in the middle of a flock of perhaps 2,000 birds. I had inadvertently startled a huge flock of birds that had recently irrupted! Grey-crowned Rosy Finches darken th...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...