It had all of the makings of a cool grizzly bear story.
Just over a week ago, photographer Leah Hennel and I got to tag along with Steve Michel, a human/wildlife conflict specialist with Banff National Park for the annual fall elk survey (check out Leah’s video, too).
Once we completed the early morning count, Steve asked if we wanted to take a drive along the Bow Valley Parkway to check on a male grizzly bear that he and a team of resource conservation staff had re-collared a few days earlier.
Off we went to Moose Meadows, where a 225-kilogram bear affectionately named ‘Split Lip’ (officially he’s No. 136, but he got his nickname because he has, well, a split lip) was still feeding on the deer carcass they used to catch him on the weekend.
We were going to see a grizzly bear. Or, at least we hoped so.
For the record, it’s not that I want to come face-to-face with a huge bear but, if I do, I like the idea of being with someone who knows how to handle it.
Not to worry, though.
The bear, which Steve tracked within 150 meters, didn’t show his face. Lucky for us, the team took this video of Split Lip a few days earlier.
By the way, this is the second time Leah and I have (knowingly) been within 150 meters of a grizzly bear. Third time lucky?