BANFF – A large area on Tunnel Mountain is off limits to give cougars, wolves and coyotes a chance to hunt elk and deer without human disturbance.
The Tunnel Mountain area is important winter habitat for cougars, wolves and coyotes as well as winter range for ungulates searching for food to survive at this frigid and snowy time of year.
Parks Canada wildlife experts say giving wildlife the space they need to successfully find food contributes to healthy carnivore populations and lowers the potential of conflicts between people and wildlife.
“This area has a lot of use by wolves and cougars and coyotes and there’s a high prey density in this area – elk and deer – so we’ve closed down some of that area to provide them some habitat security,” said Blair Fyten, human-wildlife coexistence specialist with Banff National Park.
“Elk and deer are there quite often there in winter and they use that area in winter time because it’s a south aspect and it kind of melts off or blows off there and so foraging is more readily available… and that just attracts these carnivores in these areas.”
The closure, which went into place on Jan. 23 and runs until March 31, extends just east of the Town of Banff, and includes the area around Tunnel Mountain and east of Tunnel Mountain to the Hoodoo Trailhead.
This is the third year the restriction has been implemented and those caught violating the restricted activity order could be charged under the Canada National Parks Act and face a fine of up to $25,000 in court.
Several official trails within the closure will remain open, including Tunnel Mountain Summit Trail, Tunnel Mountain Road, Surprise Corner to Hoodoos, and the trail parallel to Tunnel Mountain Road. New this year is the trail from the Tunnel hotels to Bow River Hoodoos loop will also remain open.
“We still allow people passage through the closure on some of these common trails, but they’re not allowed to go off trail,” said Fyten.
Fyten said a cougar was spotted last week travelling from Tunnel Mountain Campground, past the hotels on Tunnel Mountain and downslope from there.
“There are cougars in that area, but we haven’t seen any wolf activity in that area for a little while,” he said.
That said, the Bow Valley wolf pack used this area frequently in fall, and typically travels to the Tunnel Mountain area extensively throughout the winter, including the nearby Fairmont Banff Springs golf course to hunt elk.
Fyten said there are currently thought to be six members in the Bow Valley wolf pack, including the breeding pair that were pictured on remote cameras. However, he said there are no longer any GPS collars on any of the animals, making it difficult to track the wide-ranging pack.
“We’re relying on sightings or tracks and we haven’t had sightings for a couple of weeks now,” he said, noting before that the wolves had been seen along the Bow Valley Parkway and the Sunshine access road.
“They’ve kind of disappeared the last couple of weeks on us, whether they’re on one of their northern runs which they’re known to do.”
Parks Canada wants to hear about carnivore sightings, in particular cougar, wolf and coyote.
“We like to know about these sightings so we can act upon them quickly,” said Fyten, noting reports should be called into Banff dispatch at 403-762-1470.
Fyten also noted that dogs can attract carnivores and reminded people to always keep their dogs on leash.
Food and garbage should always be properly stored.
“Make sure you’re not leaving garbage or wildlife attractants out there, because coyotes and wolves can find these unnatural foods and that can become a problem,” said Fyten.
