A local wildlife photographer had an unexpected encounter with a young black bear in Fish Creek Provincial Park in southwest Calgary last week while out searching for owls — a moment he says was surprising, but not dangerous.
Mike Reece, a longtime photographer who has increasingly focused on wildlife in recent years, said he was moving quietly along a trail when the encounter unfolded suddenly.
“I see this black movement in the bushes,” Reece said. “I was like, ‘No, it can’t be.’”
Moments later, he realized he was face-to-face with a young black bear at very close range.
“The head pops up and it just looks at me,” he said. “It was like four feet away.”
Reece said the encounter happened so quickly there was little time to react.
“I’ve just yelled at black bears in the past because they tend to run away,” Reece said. “I didn’t have a chance to yell. It just sort of turned and booked towards the river.”
Photo/Mike Reece
Beavers react to an unwelcome visitor
After initially moving away, Reece said he left the area, only to come across the same bear again near a beaver dam shortly afterward.
Not wanting to repeat the surprise encounter, he backed off and watched from a distance as the animal moved through the area.
“It was hovering around the beaver pond eating bullrushes and whatever it could find in the water.”
The setting became more active as nearby beavers reacted to the presence of the bear.
“The beavers were just slamming their tails down,” Reece said. “I’ve never heard it so loud. They were just banging away.”
He said the sound stood out sharply in the otherwise quiet setting.
Reece said the bear did not show any aggressive behaviour and appeared focused on feeding rather than interacting with people.
“It was just an incredible evening,” he added.
He added that while he is experienced in bear country, the moment reinforced the importance of being prepared when in wildlife areas — including urban-adjacent parks and natural spaces.
Reece said he normally carries bear spray while scouting for photographs on his mountain bike, even in popular urban natural spaces such as the Cochrane Ranche, but did not have it with him on this particular outing.
A reminder for urban-adjacent wilderness
For Reece, the encounter ultimately served as a reminder of how quickly wildlife can appear in even heavily used urban park systems.
He found his first visit to the provincial park impressive.
“It surprised me because I’d never been there. It was incredibly biodiverse, like a Rocky Mountain kind of environment, so I was super pleased to see everything thriving.”
Speaking from his many experiences, he reminds people of what measures should be taken, even in green space in an urban setting.
“Be bear aware,” he said. “Educate yourself. Make noise if you’re unsure. Don’t carry a Bluetooth speaker because those are annoying, but sing a song, whistle, and carry bear spray if you think it’s important.”
“I don’t want to inflict fear on the population. Generally speaking, on well-travelled trails, the bears are going to be very timid. They’re all opportunists. They’re not predatory. That’s the thing that people need to know. Bears will take opportunities, but they rarely will hunt anything.”
Photo/Mike Reece