Photo by Jason Leo Bantle, allinthewild.com

Bear 122, known as The Boss, is regarded as the most dominant grizzly bear around Banff National Park.

For starters, he’s massive, weighing around 600-700 pounds, exceeding the average 400-600 pounds for most male grizzlies.

He’s known for dominating rival male bears. He is believed to have given Split Lip—another well-known grizzly—the injuries that earned the bear its name. At one point, he was documented eating a black bear.

Not only has he held his ground against other bears, but several years ago, he was hit by a train and survived. He’s made it to his mid-to-late 20s; most wild bears can live up to around 25 years old, although they can live into their 30s.

And in his long life, he’s fathered many of the cubs in the area.

"We have some DNA results that show [The Boss] has sired the majority of the cubs in our Bow Valley, Banff, population," said David Laskin, a Parks Canada wildlife coexistence specialist, as reported by the CBC.

His escapades and physical distinguishability (he’s missing part of one ear) have solidified him as a bear of note and importance. His emergence from a den each spring is often a grabby headline to remind folks to practice bear safety (see the Calgary Herald’s “Grizzly or groundhog? 'The Boss' announces return of spring in the Bow Valley”). He’s highlighted in research, like one study using GPS collars that provided insight into his and other bears’ use of roads and train tracks as travel corridors and foraging grounds. He’s even inspired a children’s book.

In recent years, he’s been spotted closer to towns, sometimes visiting backyard fruit trees. These visits have motivated people to remove and replace their fruit trees to ensure he, and subsequently other bears, stay out of conflict.

Bears like The Boss already face a myriad of challenges in the natural world. Adding human-related conflicts to the mix makes it harder for bears to survive and thrive. Explore the rest of this site to learn how you can prevent human-bear conflicts at home, on trails, at work, and in your community.

About the Photos

Both photos on this page come courtesy of Jason Leo Bantle. Find his insights about each photo below.

Out of the Darkness

(Header image)

Banff National Park, AB

I chose this image to honor Earth Day because The Boss symbolizes the resilience of nature. Despite all the challenges and threats to his natural environment, this magnificent grizzly emerged from hibernation once again – ‘out of the darkness’ – determined to continue his species, a symbol of hope for wildlife and wilderness habitat.

 In the realm of the grizzly, we are the intruders. This most recent encounter with The Boss was completely random in the early light of this morning. It was chilly as I visited Banff National Park, and I was more than astonished to meet up with The Boss.  Emerging from the shadows, alongside the stream, he lumbered toward my lens, and we made, yet again, another connection. I was so excited to be in the presence of a local legend in one of those random yet perfect moments with just the right setting, at just the right time.

Out of the Wild

(Body image)

Harvie Heights, Alberta

On a Sunday morning in November, with natural food sources diminishing in his familiar habitat, The Boss wandered out of Banff National Park in search of ripened fruit trees to fatten up for hibernation. Fruits and berries – especially those planted in residential areas – are a temptation too strong to resist. Incredibly, The Boss walked right past my home. By 6 p.m., the bear had headed even farther east into the town of Canmore and was sighted by several residents in the Cougar Creek area. The next morning, local authorities had persuaded The Boss to head back toward the Park, returning through the hamlet of Harvie Heights. He revisited a yard with a 40-year-old tree that had yielded plentiful apples the day before, but this time the tree was gone. The owner, concerned about the dangers to the bear and citizens, had cut it down the night before and cleaned up as many of the apples as she could. The Boss stayed in her yard for over an hour, scouring the ground for any remaining fruit. The homeowner watched from her upper deck while a small group of residents and I watched from the safety of our vehicles, being sure to keep a safe distance. The bear was non-threatening during his hour-long visit, concentrating solely on foraging.