Bear guardians kept busy in Banff National Park

Bear guardians in Banff National Park say they are busier than usual trying to get people to keep their distance from wildlife.

The six guardians patrol Highway1A from Lake Minnewanka to Bow Summit as well aspartsof Highway 93 north.

Their job isto break up bear jams,which isa trafficjamcaused by tourists stopping to look atbears,or to educate visitors about the area's wildlife.

Supervisor Mireille Rousseau says they've come across one person who came within three metres of a grizzly bear, and some othersweretoo close to a big bull elk.

"People are really intent and quite focused on getting photographs," she said. "And I just wonder sometimes if they're the pressure of wanting to get that out and maybe on a Facebook or just getting it out to friends really quickly might be pushing people to take undue risk."

Rousseau says the bears are coming back down into the Bow Valley now to eat buffalo berries, so visitors need to bevery careful.

Parks Canada is now looking at whetherit needs tohire more bear guardians to patrol Highway 93 south.