Meet the boss: Canmore photographer captures one of Alberta’s oldest grizzly bears – Calgary

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but for one Canmore-based photographer, getting the opportunity to capture “The Boss” again was pure luck.

Jason Bantle, photographer and owner of All in the Wild Gallery located in Canmore, Alta. was out in nature at the beginning of November, ready to capture what nature would show him that day when he came across fresh bear tracks in the snow.

“Now, this time of year, you don’t want to go after a grizzly bear. So I actually followed the grizzly bear trail backwards,” Bantle said.

After about an hour of exploring and finally finding a spot where The Boss had taken a nap in the past, Bantle went back to his car and started driving down the road when the big bear appeared in the distance.

“I looked over and I’m like, ‘oh, my goodness!’ And there he was – the back of a bear with snow on it. It glistened in the sunlight,” he said.

“I drove back slowly, got my camera out and there was dirt flying – he was probably digging for squirrels, (it was) pretty amazing (to see) … I stood there with my camera and looked through my lens, and he has his head up for about five seconds. And I got maybe only a handful of images.

“I felt really happy. I’ve only experienced The Boss like that a few times.”

Originally a biologist, Bantle has been photographing wildlife for more than 20 years and knew he had to keep his distance, although he added the bear doesn’t pose for long.

“He’s kind of just doing his thing, right. He’s like, ‘I’m the boss. I’m going about my day.’ He’s not really interested in people from what I’ve ever seen or heard. And he’s just out in the forest being a wild bear, which is really amazing,” Bantle added.

As “one of the most impressive animals” Bantle has encountered, it’s no wonder others have an appreciation for the bear. The boss – or no. 122 for parking officials – after all, is not only one of the largest bears in Alberta, but also the father of more than half of the current grizzly bear cubs in the area.

Sarah Elmeligi, an independent biologist, said that not only does he get his name because he is the king of the forest, he also gets his name because of his age and what he has overcome over the years.

“He’s probably over 20 years old now, and that’s pretty old for a grizzly bear roaming the wilds of Alberta,” she said.

“Over that time he’s really established a good reputation for himself and he’s also very good at occupying habitats around people without coming into conflict with people.”

Elmeligi explained that cubs they traced with his DNA had a range of more than 2,000 square kilometers. She said it’s likely he fathered cubs not only in Alberta, but also in British Columbia.

But if you ever get in the area of ​​the boss, Elmeligi reminds everyone that “grizzly bears are still grizzly bears” and not to look for them, but rather to let them roam. She said it was best left to professional photographers, like Bantle, with the large telephoto camera lens to capture the creature.

“Your iPhone isn’t going to be able to get the same picture that Jason can take, so don’t try.”

– With files from Norma Reid, Global News

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