Bear Safety Archives - Waterton Biosphere Region

WBRA May 2026 Update

Wendy Devent — Fri, 29 May 2026 20:31:59 +0000

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WBRA February/March 2026 Update

Wendy Devent — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:09:15 +0000

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Carnivores and Communities: Program Case Study and Summary are now published!

Executive Director — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 19:54:35 +0000

Carnivores and Communities: A Case Study of Human-Carnivore Conflict Mitigation in Southwestern Alberta

In 2018, the Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association used an online survey to evaluate the effectiveness of the CACP directly from the program participants’ perspectives and experiences. The survey was organized into the following sections: demographics, general awareness and motivation to participate, safety risks and sense of security associated with large carnivores, assessment of attractant management and deadstock removal programming, and communications and future direction.

We evaluated the CACP’s bear safety workshops, deadstock removal program, and attractant management projects by collecting survey data on participants’ perspectives of the CACP’s effectiveness relative to reducing economic costs and human safety risks and completing an analysis of carnivore conflict data.

The results of our collaborative research clearly show that the CACP is having a positive impact and making progress towards reducing conflicts between people and large carnivores. We believe the CACP’s work provides a successful example of a community-based program that helps people and large carnivores better coexist on the landscape.

The full story can be found in the published paper here.

The WBRA aims to support healthy landscapes and the people who live and work here.

The Carnivores and Communities Program helps livestock producers lessen the impacts of large carnivores on their operations. This includes a Deadstock Removal Program and financial support for projects like grain bin upgrades and electric fences. Please visit our CACP webpage for more information on these cost-sharing initiatives.

To stay up to date on all of the Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association’s upcoming programs and events be sure to visit us here on our website, Like and Follow our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

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Carnivores and Communities Meetings December 4 & 5, 2019

Executive Director — Sat, 09 Nov 2019 04:02:00 +0000

Please join us for one of two Carnivores and Communities meetings, December 4th in Pincher Creek or December 5th in Cardston. We will be sharing results from the 2018 community survey along with patterns in carnivore occurrence records.

More information on the Carnivores and Communities Program can be found here.

To view, save or print a PDF of the poster click here.

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Bear Safety Workshop for Ranch Families – JUNE 23 2017

Executive Director — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 05:30:08 +0000

Join us for an afternoon to learn about bear safety. This workshop is targeted specifically at safety concerns for southwestern Alberta farm and ranch owners, workers, and family members (all ages welcome) as they go about their daily routines, living and working in close proximity with grizzly and black bears. Learn:

how to minimize attractants around your ranch and yard
how to avoid bear encounters
what to do when you do encounter a bear
how to correctly identify dangerous bear behavior
how to respond appropriately

Get hands-on practice using bear spray and take home a can of bear spray for your family to use (limited number available).

EVENT DETAILS:

Friday June 23^rd, 2017
1:00 to 4:30 pm
Cardston Reunion Centre
Cardston, AB

There will be separate activities for younger children.
Beverages and snacks will be provided.
Dress for the weather – bear spray practice will be outdoors.

Thanks to our generous supporters there is no cost for the workshop, but pre-registration is requested.

Please register by June 20^th if possible.

To register contact:

Jeff Bectell
Carnivores and Communities Program Coordinator
Phone: (403) 653 – 2219
Email: jbectell@watertonbiosphere.com

View the event poster (pdf) here.

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Bear Safety Workshop for Ranch Families – June 18, 2016

Executive Director — Tue, 31 May 2016 17:01:49 +0000

DATE: Saturday June 18, 2016
TIME: 1:00 to 4:00 pm
LOCATION: Coalfields Community Centre – Beaver Mines, AB
LEARN:
⇒ how to minimize attractants around your ranch and yard
⇒ how to avoid bear encounters
⇒ what to do when you do encounter a bear
⇒ how to correctly identify dangerous bear behavior
⇒ how to respond appropriately

Get hands-on practice using bear spray and take home a can of bear spray for your family to use (limited number available). There will be separate activities for younger children. Beverages and snacks will be provided. Dress for the weather – bear spray practice will be outdoors.

Thanks to our generous supporters there is no cost for the workshop, but pre-registration is requested. Please register by June 11th if possible.

To register contact:
Tony Bruder Carnivore Working Group Area Coordinator
Phone: (403) 627-5425 Email: tbruder@watertonbiosphere.com

View event poster here.

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