As summer draws to a close, staff and visitors at Prince Albert National Park are reflecting on a season that saw an increase in bear and other wildlife sightings. While the exact reason behind the increase isn’t entirely clear, Parks Canada says its message to visitors remains the same: respect wildlife. For Cathy Kozak and her family, wildlife became unexpected breakfast entertainment during their annual trip to Waskesiu earlier this summer. “I looked at the kitchen window, and there she was, her two paws and her face against the window, and I was just stunned,” Kozak told CTV News. Kozak has been visiting the area for about 30 years. During this year’s trip, her family stayed just outside the Waskesiu town site. During their stay while travelling around the park, they encountered significantly more bears than usual. “We saw nine bears. Never in our history have we seen that many. We’re lucky if we see one,” she said. Kozak wasn’t the only person to notice more wildlife this summer. Staff at the Waskesiu Golf Course told CTV News that golfers have reported seeing more bears and other wildlife on the course this year. That appears to line up with an increase in some wildlife-related calls received by park staff. “There was a bit of a spike earlier this year, just coinciding with the elk calving period, and probably due to just a few individual elk that were being particularly defensive of their young,” Tom Perry, acting resource conservation manager at Prince Albert National Park, said. Warning signs were posted in some cabin areas earlier in the season as elk and their calves spent more time around Waskesiu cabin areas. “Elk are using the townsite for calving more commonly, and it kind of is a bit of a safe haven from predators,” Perry said. There has been speculation that last year’s forest fires may be contributing to the increased number of wildlife sightings. Perry doesn’t put merit in that, saying areas affected by fire can produce abundant vegetation and berries that attract animals. However, he says there is no definitive explanation for why wildlife sightings appear to be up overall. Regardless of the reason, the park’s safety messaging remains consistent – keep a safe distance to observe animals, keep pets on a leash, don’t feed wildlife and keep attractants sealed up. For Kozak, the encounters served as an important reminder. “I’m in their home,” she said. Kozak said her family took precautions during their stay, including keeping food secure and maintaining a safe distance from wildlife. Still, she said seeing so many bears made her think about the potential dangers of an encounter. “They aren’t usually very aggressive, but I believe this year some of the deaths that have been black bears that have been pretty aggressive,” Kozak said. The bear that approached Kozak’s family’s accommodation had previously been tagged, and Parks Canada was contacted following the encounter. Park officials continue to remind visitors to be aware of wildlife as fall transitions into rut season for elk where the bulls can be aggressive and territorial.
