Grizzly sow, two cubs, to be moved from Canmore area

Alberta Wildlife officials have been forced to remove a problematic grizzly sow and two of her three cubs from the Canmore area.

The animal, known to wildlife officers as grizzly sow 105, got too friendly around the townsite of Canmore, unafraid of people and too relaxed around a busy stretch of the TransCanada Highway, officials say.

On Saturday, the RCMP had to shut down aparts of the highway because the bear was on one sideand one of her cubs was on the other.

Jon Jorgensen, the fish and wildlife manager for the area, said the bear and her cubs just wouldn't stay away from Canmore.

"We really had no choice," Jorgensen said. "We just had to make this call and it's very unfortunate."

Wildlife advocacy groups said the relocation is disappointing because thesurvival rateof bears moved to new habitat is only about 30 per cent.

Sarah Elmeligi, senior conservation planner with C-PAWS, said residents and visitors to Canmore must to do their part to save the grizzlies.

"Bears live here too," Elmeligi said. "Being bear aware when you are in town or around town is really important to grizzly bear survival."