Earlier this month, a popular hiking trail in Banff was closed due to some bear-on-bear violence.
Just over a week ago, a group of hikers on Banff’s Sundance Canyon trail came across a grizzly bear feeding on the carcass of a black bear.
And while this may not be a common sight for most hikers, Steve Michael, a human-wildlife conflict specialist with Banff National Park, says that he knows of a few other instances in the region when a grizzly has hunted, killed, and eaten a black bear.
“Grizzly bears are opportunistic hunters,” Michael said. “They will take advantage of any food source that presents itself,” and right now is an important time of year for grizzlies, as they need to put on weight for winter.
According to reports, the grizzly was likely five times larger than the black bear. The grizzly, which had previously been handled and radio collared by conservation officials, is said to be the largest, most dominant bear on the landscape, weighing 650 to 700 pounds last fall.
The hiking trail was closed for several days following the discovery, but it is now open to the public.
