British Columbia has the highest population of grizzlies in Canada and its own endemic species of Black bear. Most people will only ever dream of getting up close and personal with these wild animals, but in many places in Canada, big bears are a part of everyday life. Where to See Bears in Canada Where to See Bears in Canada: British Columbia Luxury Resorts Grizzly bears are awe-inspiring, top-of-the-food-chain predators, but there are only 55,000 in all of North America. It’s a great place to see polar bears from a ship rather than on land (witnessing polar bears from a distance is the best way to ensure mutual happiness in the encounter.) Local cultural guides conduct tours to areas where there have been sightings. They will eat mammals and fish on the occasion and can often find an appetite for bin rubbish and human garbage if found when wandering. Boreal forests often experience large forest fires, but rather than destroying the environment, these natural disturbances are regenerative. The Kodiak bear lives exclusively within the islands of Alaska’s Kodiak Archipelago and is the heaviest brown bear. Take a full-day Tundra Buggy excursion, searching for polar bears along the shores of Hudson Bay and learning about threats to the species and their habitat. Some of the most incredible bear viewing in Alaska is near Anchorage. Also great for: Grizzly and black bears, wolves, orcas, dolphins and sea-lions; To find out more about staying at Spirit Bear Lodge as part of your Canada holiday contact our team of Canada Travel Specialists. The Kermode bear, sometimes called the spirit bear (Ursus americanus kermodei), is a subspecies of the American black bear and lives in the Central and North Coast regions of British Columbia, Canada. So, to maximise your chances of spotting them, visit outside of these months. If you are lovers of polar bears, this country is the ideal place to see them in their all-natural habitat. You can plan a day trip or guided tour, or you can stay at a bear lodge located deep within the woods. As a general rule, black bears are perfectly safe as long as they are not threatened. Northern BC is characterized by some of the wildest and most beautiful landscapes in the province. The lakes are home to grizzlies and are well worth a visit in their own right. To see the famous polar bear, venture north. Sharon from Travel, Eat, Enjoy, Repeat agrees with Joe that Vancouver Island is the ideal bear watching location: “For bear watching, British Columbia is the place to be in Canada. Ready for your own bear watching adventure? November is a prime time to visit Canada to see polar bears, as the ‘big freeze’ in areas such as Churchill and Hudson Bay is well underway. “From the water, you have a perfect view of the bears without disturbing them. But it is the dense interior forest that appeals to them the most. Grizzlies tend to be more aggressive, however, and a close encounter with one of these is more serious. Explore our sample polar bear tour ideas below. Black bears are the most common bear family in Canada, however, more unusual subspecies can be found. Here, during late February, you could just be lucky enough to see mother polar bears and their young cubs with your own eyes as they emerge periodically from their protective dens. Some of their favourite spots for spotting bears are the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A), a scenic alternative to the Highway 1 between Banff and Lake Louise, and also various locations in Lake Louise. Polar Bear Tours in Canada. Frequently in western and southern ranges, individual bears may have coats that are blond, cinnamon, light or dark brown, or variations and mixtures of these colours. Interestingly, the black tone of the Vancouver Island bear’s coat is darker than that of the mainland individuals. There are many opportunities to spot some native bears – particularly if you know where to look. The Great Bear Rainforest, the planet’s largest intact temperate rainforest, took number three on our list. You can withdraw your consent at anytime. Churchill is a place that elicits feelings of excitement from anyone who’s heard of this remote place in Manitoba, Canada, on the western shore of Hudson Bay. The key consideration in picking a spot is timing. Banff and Beyond has a great article on where the best places are to see different types of animals, including bears. Bear watching in the diverse landscapes of the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast can range from horseback excursions to searching for white Kermode (Spirit) bears in misty fjords via coastal boat-based tours. Check for signs such as tracks, droppings, overturned rocks, rotten trees torn apart, clawed, bitten or rubbed trees, bear trails, fresh diggings or trampled vegetation. Black bears. They typically reside in forests, although they can also be found in the mountains and on the coast. Bears are focused on … Plant foods make up the majority of a bear’s diet – sometimes as much as 90 per cent. The ideal location to watch and capture spirit bears on camera is the large Princess Royal Island just 500km north of Vancouver where there are reported to be around 120 of these rare creatures – the highest concentration in the world. This is not only the largest of all bear species in North America, but it is also the largest species in the world. All information collected is intended for Canadian Affair, the data controller, for the purposes of processing your bookings or subscriptions to our newsletters and/or programs. They can also be found in Yukon, Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Click here for more information on bear safety. Bison. In Canada, black bears hibernate from around October or November to around April, or whenever the snow melts. But you also have chances to see bears along the way; like a mama bear and her cubs. Of all the outdoor activities that Canada offers, bear watching is one of the best and most rewarding experiences. Wildsafe BC is a great resource for making any bear experiences you may have in BC positive and conflict-free. Today, fewer than 400 of the gentle bears exist, making them a highly desirable sight for any nature-lover on holiday in Canada. Bears generally prefer to avoid people. So it’s not often that you have the opportunity to observe bears in Canada up close. Same goes for natural areas on the east side of Georgian Bay like Killbear Provincial Park. Perfect for: Spirit bears, a very rare, white-coloured subspecies of the black bear. Not surprisingly, the wildlife is similarly spectacular: Breaching humpback whales, giant polar bears, comical cliff-diving puffins, and herds of browsing caribou. Black Bears are much more common than grizzlies. And if you are very lucky the Kermode “spirit” bear. So, for the bears’ safety as well as your own, never give food to individuals you may come across. If you are determined and you are aware of all the safety precautions (see below), you may count yourself among the lucky visitors who see wild bears in Banff. For the ultimate Kermode bear-watching experience, visit the Great Bear Rainforest on the coast of British Columbia, between Vancouver Island and South East Alaska. According to National Geographic, if you visit at the right time, you can witness one of nature’s finest spectacles. TA bear is one of the most amazing wildlife ni Canada to see. Check ahead for bears in the distance and avoid them. 1- Grizzly Bears in British Columbia This is how close you can get on a bear watching cruise in the Great Bear Rainforest. They will usually have a log of wildlife sightings. Be sure to keep your distance from wildlife—30 m (98 ft) minimum, and even further, at least 100 m (328 ft), from predators such as bears. Read more. Alternatively, travel further east to the Cariboo mountain range. Approximately 2,200 bears live in Katmai National Park, and one of the best places to see bears at Katmai is at the famous Brooks Falls. As many bear watching tours operate using vehicles and boats, you can see them from a safe distance. Bears generally prefer to avoid people. The southern Greenland village of Nanortalik means ‘place of polar bears’, … Each summer and fall, salmon swim upriver to spawn and Katmai’s bears gather at the falls, looking for a meal. If you're wondering where to see Polar Bears in Canada without being in any danger and having to voyage way up north, then there's a place in Manitoba that you have to see. Undoubtedly the best place in Canada to see polar bears is Manitoba, an area famous for their presence. Males weigh up to 280 kilograms while the females are smaller, new-born cubs can weigh as little as 300g. Grizzly Bears in British Columbia. [1] However, that doesn't mean they won't enter towns and neighborhoods. Here are some of the best locations to go bear watching in Canada. The polar bears spend the summer on the land around Churchill and then head out to the sea ice in late October and November (freeze up time) to hunt for the food that sustains them through the year. The Canadian Rocky Mountains are home to both grizzly and black bears. Often that you will be a resident expert bear-watching adventure today beautiful Tweedsmuir Provincial Park most common bear family Canada. 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