Bear spray easy to access on the outside of your pack? Check. Hiking with friends and making noise? Check. Dog on a leash? Check. You’re well-prepared for recreating in bear country. But, what will you do if you actually encounter a bear? A bear biologist gives us her best pointers.

It has been 140 years since bison roamed free in Banff National Park. But, this month, all that has changed as a small herd of Plains bison was translocated from Elk Island National Park to Banff. With the help of Bison Belong, an organization dedicated to the animal’s reintroduction, we put together a timeline to put this recent success into context.

What are the chances that bears and people are on the same trail at the same time? And what are the conditions that lead to a higher chance of encounter? These are just some of the questions that Canmore-based researcher, Sarah Elmeligi, is studying as part of her PhD. In this article, she walks us through the preliminary results of her research, and tells us why people should be prepared for a bear encounter – especially when you’re close to a road or town.