Bears are waking up: A refresher course for hikers

It's the Easter long weekend and if you are planning to work off your chocolate hangover with a long walk through the mountainsbe wary of bears.

Typicallybig malebears emergefromhibernation around April 1, with females following four to six weeks after. But warm weather this spring means the animals are out and about a bit earlier this year.

• Bow Valley bears waking early from winter slumber

Dave Stark, aspokesperson for YamnuskaMountain Adventures, sayswhen faced with a bearhis advice is simple:

• Don'trun.
• Stop and assess what's going on.
• Don't panic.

Stark says bears rarely stalk people but there are a couple of scenarios wherebears can become aggressive.

"They're usually guarding something it may be an animal they've killed and they're feasting on it.Or they have cubs, so they feel threatened," he said.

Tyler McClure, aspokesperson for the Canmore-based conservation groupWildSmart, says there are approximately 120 grizzlies and an equal number of black bears living in the Banff andKananaskis area.

McClure advises hikers to travel in groups, carry bear spray and make lots of noise.

If you do meet a bear, and it's aware of your presence, McClure says you should talk to itin a calm voice and slowly back away.

"Odds arethe bear is probably going to have the same reaction," he said.

For those wishing to know more about bear behaviour, April 11is Bear Day at the Canmore Civic Centre.