A few years ago, I was helping Jasper National Park’s conservation biologist, Brenda Shepherd, conduct a survey for Black Swifts at Athabasca Falls. Black Swifts nest in canyons and even behind waterfalls. They leave the nest before sun up and don’t return until nightfall. Surveying for Black Swifts...

What’s it going to take for Jasperites to start managing their wildlife attractants responsibly? All this fall, once again, bears have been running amok in Jasper. Morning and night—and even in the bustle of midday—bears are darting in and out of residential neighbourhoods, feasting on the easily-ac...

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article said the caribou breeding facility had a $14 million budget. The budget has been increased significantly since that number was first reported and as of October 3, 2023, the investment from the federal government was $38.2 million. Parks Canada has sa...

Parks Canada wildlife specialists euthanized a black bear cub after it was seriously injured in what appears to be a railway incident. For the last four weeks, a recognizable black bear family, comprised of a mother and her three cubs, had been frequenting the Jasper townsite. The family was easy to...

Dear Editor, I’m an ex-Jasperite/Hintonite. I grew up in the area in the 70s and 80s, and of course Jasper has a special place in my heart. Two years ago I moved back to Alberta to be closer to the grandkids and have settled in Cochrane. I am a longtime photographer, and whenever I can, I pay a visi...

A mother black bear and her cub have been captured and removed from the Jasper townsite by wildlife officials. It’s a second-to-last-ditch effort to give these bears a chance at living their life in a more natural environment, said JNP’s resource conservation manager, Dave Argument. The last resort ...

A park visitor has been fined $1,500 for enticing and disturbing wildlife in Jasper National Park. On June 15, Parks Canada dispatchers received a report of an individual throwing objects at a sow grizzly bear and her two cubs. The report stated the male was outside of his vehicle on the Maligne Lak...

Recently I’ve been watching Alone , a reality TV show where 10 people have to survive in the wilderness, by themselves, with no food or water and minimal gear. The last person standing is the winner. To give himself the best chance of winning, one of the participants (a Canadian) adopted an unusual ...

The grizzly bear family that startled picnickers at a popular day-use area 11 days ago have been relocated away from the Jasper townsite. On July 24, a sow grizzly and her two cubs got way too close for comfort to a family of visitors who had just laid out their lunch at Lake Annette. The bears acce...

Parks Canada is once again asking Jasperites to help remove bear attractants from the townsite. “Residents should take steps now to remove fruit and any other potential attractants from their properties,” a statement from Jasper National Park wildlife officials reads.  Already this summer, several i...