Last week Officials from Banff National Park reported the first bear sighting of the season.

Parks Canada Resource Conservation Officers received the report last week which prompted the seasonal reminder that bears are coming out of hibernation and to be extra vigilant on your outdoor adventures.

According to Human-Wildlife Co-existence Specialist for Banff National Park, Blair Fyten that the first grizzly bear sighting actually took place on March 14, and it appears that the Big Boss is up from his winter nap!

"We think this is a bear that we call 122 or as the locals call him --The Boss!" explains Fyten. He goes on to say "Typically, it's the time of year that he comes out; mid-March and that's generally the area where we do see him, so we suspect it's him."

The suspected Boss sighting was made by a passerby on the highway on the afternoon of March 14.

Fyten explains that male grizzlies are typically the first to get out and make their tracks.

"Typically what happens at this time of year --mid-March, the bigger male grizzly bears come out of their dens since they're in a little better shape and have bigger fat reserves on them so they typically come out a little earlier."

According to Fyten, female grizzlies aren't usually out and about this early, particularly if they have newborns. He says they will start emerging from their dens in about a month's time.

"If they have newborn cubs they're usually the last ones that come out of their dens," explains  Fyten. "There’s a lot of snow on the landscape here, so there’s not a lot of food out there available for them. They can conserve more energy by being in the den rather than roaming around and using energy."

Fyten reiterates the importance of being bear-aware while visiting the nearby mountain trails. He says that anyone venturing in the area should be prepared for a potential bear encounter and says that perhaps one of the most important things you can do is make a ton of noise!

He recommends staying in a large group, having bear spray accessible, and paying extra close attention to your surroundings. He says evidence shows that there have been more serious bear encounters with hikers travelling alone.

As For the Boss, well, Fyten says he is one of the dominant bears in the valley who has developed a bit of fame over the years. He continues to say the Boss is one of the prime breeding males in the area and he has a reputation for chasing other bears off.

As his name would suggest ... he's earned his title for well, being the big boss of the valley.

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