Massive grizzly bear ‘The Boss’ escorted out of Canmore

Parks Canada wardens were called into the Town of Canmore after the community was visited by an absolute unit.

Town officials say park rangers were called to escort a 450-pound grizzly, known as ‘The Boss,’ out of the community.

Reports about the massive grizzly foraging in Harvie Heights just north of the town came in on the weekend of Nov. 1.

It then wandered into Canmore and was monitored by Mounties and police. Eventually, he made his way back to Harvie Heights.

Rangers brought the massive grizzly bear back to Banff National Park on Tuesday.

The Boss is believed to be the largest bear in the park and can be described as an “absolute goon.”

Officials with the town said the grizzly didn’t appear aggressive and wasn’t accessing any wildlife attractants.

However, they are reminding residents and visitors in Canmore to stay “bear aware” following the unexpected visit.

According to Parks Canada, the boss is a tough guy despite his old age. In recent years, he’s been caught eating a rival black bear and even survived being hit by a train.

This also comes after Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services set up traps in Fish Creek to capture a black bear spotted in the area.

The setup of the trap has also led to the temporary closure of Fish Creek Provincial Park.

Park officials say the bear was spotted in the area near the end of October, and has been frequently eating from fruit trees and garbage cans along Wood Acres Drive since.

The bear hasn’t displayed aggressive behaviour, but they say it may be getting food conditioned as it has continued to return to the trash.

Left-out food is the most common cause of human-bear conflict, and Fish and Wildlife say not to leave food outside overnight.

At this time, the bear has not been captured, and officials are asking Calgarians to not disrupt their trapping efforts.

“Unfortunately, we have observed individuals entering these restricted zones to view or approach the traps. This not only disrupts operations but also poses serious safety risks,” officials said in a statement to 660 NewsRadio.

“To support our efforts and ensure public safety, we ask that everyone respects these closures and avoids the restricted areas until further notice.”

-With files from Nadia Moharib