As The Boss, or Bear 122 continues to age, concerns are being raised regarding his future. The Boss has roamed the Bow Valley for more than two decades, but the bear is believed to be in his mid-to-late 20’s, with the average lifespan for a grizzly bear being 20-25 years.
Due to his advanced age, and potential issues regarding his dental care, experts in Banff say The Boss could require “more aggressive” management. It was reported over the summer that while attempting to collar the bear, it was noted that his teeth were badly damaged, and deteriorating.
Parks Canada has said however, that the idea of lethally removing the bear is one that would only happen once all other management tools had been exhausted. Despite Parks Canada saying the option is currently off the table, an online petition pushing against the lethal removal of the bear has been circulating with more than 2000 signatures already.
According to wildlife experts, the only real concerns at this time, are the people trying to find and track Bear 122. They say he is also almost always following his nose, and has visited the town of Banff in the past to eat crab apples.
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