Wolf pup, moose hit by vehicles in Banff National Park

July 22, 2014

PHOTO: Amar Athwal

The seven-member Bow Valley wolf pack hanging out along the Bow Valley Parkway in December 2013.

Posted by:
Colette Derworiz

Bears have been front and centre in Banff National Park this summer, but there’s been a couple other wildlife struck by vehicles in the past week.

On July 15, resource conservation officers responded to a report that a wolf pup was hit on the exit to Sunshine Village ski resort. “A vehicle behind saw the animal limping,” said Mike Grande, resource management officer with Banff National Park.

Grande responded to the scene and did a foot patrol in the area, but said he wasn’t able to find the wolf pup in the area to confirm whether it was injured or killed. “It could be a coyote as well,” he said, noting it was reported as a grey and black animal.

Later that week, on July 19, officers also responded to a report from RCMP of a moose being struck by a car on Sulfur Mountain Road. It was after dark and they couldn’t see it in the immediate area.
Grande said they returned the next morning and found a moose within 50 feet of the road.

It walked with a distinct limp, he said, explaining officers slowly moved the animal out of the area into a wildlife corridor. They monitored it for the next few days for signs of shock.

A moose in Kananaskis Country. Photo: Brendan Troy

The large cow moose rested in the area until Monday, when it had moved on. “Moose are pretty resilient,” said Grande, noting it will either heal or become part of the “circle of life.”

As for the bears, many have started to move up to higher ground as they transition to berry crops.
There are, however, a couple of new warnings along the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park — including a black bear at the Rampart Creek campground and some grizzly bears around Num-Ti-Jah Lodge.

With that update, I’m on holidays until after the August long weekend.

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