Updated: Tue Jun. 09 2009 16:00:51

ctvcalgary.ca

Another two of Alberta's grizzly bears have been killed.

A mature female grizzly known as Bear #71 and one of her two cubs were hit and killed on the tracks operated by Canadian Pacific Railway on Saturday.

The animals were being tracked by Parks Canada officials.

They say the older animal, Bear #71, was first fitted with a radio-collar in 2001 and then ear tag transmitters in 2007.

She produced three litters of cubs, including a pair of cubs last year.

Both the mother and her yearling male cub were struck and killed on the tracks about three kilometres east of Canmore.

The remaining surviving cub was tranquilized and captured by provincial officials. It will be released back into the wild as far away as possible from human habitation.

Defenders of Wildlife say the CPR has a shameful record operating in Banff National Park and is calling on the company to accelerate its plans to repair faulty grain cars.

The group says grizzlies, elk, and other wildlife are attracted to grain spilled by CPR trains.

But CPR officials say that they are equally frustrated by the animal deaths.

They say spilled grain does not appear to be a factor in either this incident or the previous death of a male grizzly killed by a CPR train earlier this year.

The company says its refurbishment program on its grain cars is 45 per cent complete and it is proactively working on solutions to stop animal mortality on its tracks.

Comments are now closed for this story

Sue
These animals are merely trying to survive in an environment suffering from human encroachment.

don.
i find it funny that there are all kinds of people ready to complain about a bear being killed by a train and demand that millions be spent on fences. what i cant understand is where are these people when developers are destroying the bears habitat for golf courses ( silver tip) and big fancy homes in the bow valley in the name of progress. you people should get your prioritys straight.

Ryder
To think that some of you think that erecting a fence along thousands of KMS of rail will help is ridiculous!! Do people who state that even think about how many deer, elk, bear, moose and other wildlife are hit by cars and transport trucks along the highways every year?!! Heck, lets fence off the highways while we are at it!! Geesh!!

I suppose that you want hunters to stop all together as well!!

Yes it is sad that a great animal such as the mighty grizz has perished this way, but it is a fact of life.

Carl
In Alberta over 90% of known grizzly bear deaths are caused by humans. This figure is presented in Alberta's Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan.

These deaths are caused by a number of human related activities including transportation, as was the case here.

Human caused mortality is one of the greatest threats jeopardizing the long-term survival of our Threatened grizzly, in Alberta.

It is great to see so many people sharing their concerns on this thread. But if you want to see change, you need to share these thoughts with Alberta's decision makers.

In the same amount of time it took you to write your comment, you could have sent a letter to the government.

Todd Shannon
I think DEM needs to get a life. Don't be arrogant! People that don't seem to care about the wildlife in this province should leave. It's part of Alberta and if you don't care....get out! Hey CPR how about a fence along the line!!

Patrick in Calgary
Hey Dem,

Maybe you should get a life, I happen to see four bears on my way to KImberley last week and its nice to not see one in a cage at the zoo. Did you ever think that maybe people don't want to see aniamls caged up and would reather see them in their natural habitat, I guess its their fault for being on our land before we got here.

c
Okay all of you need to relax. Yes unfortunately a bear and her cub was killed. So are parents and children in car accidents. Are we going to have to pay for air bags or something on the outside of our cars? get over it. unfortunately yes this happends often. it could happen more however i agree with the above statement no one is making this big of a fuss for that for 40 year old woman who was killed by the train the other day. So how about we just calm down and think of it this way. you want to cage in bears in their own environment? fences beside the tracks, well they will never get around it and i gaurentee you it will cause problems. you think its bad to have a bear hit by a train? think about what you are saying you want to cage up a wild animal. this is not a zoo its the wilderness theres nothing you can do about it. relax.

Carolynne - Calgary
My heart aches to once hear again of more grizzly deaths. I only hope that the authorities are doing the right thing this time for the surving cub. We all share responsibility for these deaths. It's our goods that these trains are shipping so if it means paying a little more for the goods so that CP can fence off the most dangerous stretches of track I'm all for it.

chuck
so if all grizzlys are wiped out, what happens then? oh right, the world will come to an end... get over it...

Grant
Why would we spend millions of dollars to erect a fence when we have starving children in Canada and a health care system that is in dire need of more government money? The infrastructure in Canada is crumbling, with poor sewer systems and not enough clean water to drink, we'll have more ill people to worry about in 20 years than a bear. Spend millions of dollars to save a dirty stinky old bear, now does that even make sense?

Jo
It is dissapointing to read some posts hold a position of "it's just a bear". This is not just a bear this one of a million animals that are destroyed by people everyday. CPR as a business may not want to hit the bears but the reality is they have to be accountable for the fact that they are hitting them.
Every animal and plant plays a key role in our eco system and although we may not see it in our life time, if that balance is thrown off our lives will be greatly impacted.
One bear matters along with millions of other animals that die due to us.

Andy Cass
There is no way that a grizzly would be feeding on the meager amount of grain spilled along the railway in June.
If you want these animals to keep away from the tracks start running passenger trains again. Anyone who has ridden one will know there is a sign in the toilets that says: "Do not flush the toilet while stopped in a train station." Meaning, the waste was dumped onto the railbed. With one passenger train heading west and another headed east every day it wouldn't take long and animals would avoid the tracks totally.

OH COME ON
Hmmm.. interesting attitude, 'DEM'
It is not only a bear, it represents the larger issue that our wildlife is disappearing because of our own stupidity.
You are the one who needs to get a life, some compassion, and common sense. Maybe not in that order.

Dave
"DEM" Your a complete idiot. Your thoughts are shamefull. Shame on you.

Dave

Britt
DEM, you are ignorant. Did it occur to you that the reason for us not seeing bears often is that there are not a lot of them left? Why would you even comment on this story if you were just going to say something completely unconstructive?

Anyways, I agree, more needs to be done, I do believe either bear whistles, water cannons, something does need to be done. I am not okay living in a world where we are killing animals to the point of extinction.

Don
Instead of fixing thousands of leaky grain cars ,CPR should be required to have a vacuum system behind every single train carrying grain. That way, the grain would be vacuumed up immediately, rather than waiting for the one CPR vacuum truck to come by. It'd probably work for other materials they were carrying as well. Just a thought. Maybe Hoover could design it!

Mark
There was an article i read somewhere that they had a problem with cattle on the tracks, there solution was lower speeds and two very high pressure water cannons, not mounted on the locomotive but pushed at the front on a small seperate flat deck. But i agree something needs to happen quickly, were running out of grizzlies but not deliveries....

Brad Watson
To compare this to the lady who got killed is ridiculous. Unless I'm wrong how is a bear supposed to know the train is going to kill them. Two completely different issues.

DEM
people, just relax,its only a bear. Have you ever seen one, other than a zoo? sixty percent wouldn't know the difference, if they hadn't seen one in a zoo, between black or brown. If the grizzlys population is depleted, does the world end. Get a life.

kevin
MAYBE IT IS ABOUT TIME THAT THE CPR IS MADE TO PUT UP FENCES ON THAT STRETCH OF TRACKS FROM MORLEY TO THE END OF THE TROUBLE AERA IN THE PARKS. THE HIGHWAY TOOK THE STEP TO TRY AND STOP THE TROUBLE AND THAT SEEMS TO WORK QUITE WELL. WAKE UP AND MAKE THE CPR ACOUNTABLE FOR THERE TRACKS AND THE RIGHT AWAY BESIDE IT. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE HELD ACOUNTABLE FOR THE FIRES THEY START AS WELL.

Just Saying
I don't think CPR is going out and hitting these poor bears on purpose. Their business is effect each time this happens. And have you ever tried to stop a train traveling at full speed, I have not. So I think we should lay off CPR and I agree with DC, all the people that are so outraged by this maybe they should help build/fund fences instead of laying blame on some poor driver that may be just as upset he hit a bear. Also, train is still a nice cheap way to transport goods across our Country are we going to stop using trains?? and in turn increase our prices on a lot of goods and services and we will be okay with that?? Everything comes with a price and I am very sorry for that bear.

Marg in Calgary
A fence has been put up to keep wildlife off the highways, why hasn't something similar been done alongside the tracks?

Hmmmmmmmm. Sad loss to the bear population.

Patrick from Calgary
All fixing grain cars will do is save CPR money by not splling the product their shipping, which is why they are doing it. I see the only way to prevent these deaths is for the tracks to be fenced with animals overpasses, much like the highway. If taxpayers can pay to fence the highway, then a multi billion dollar company can be made to fence the tracks to protect the environment they are allowed to operate in.

George
All those killings of bears is just wrong!

I think they should start make CPR pay BIG money every time this happens.

The way we are going we are out of Grizzlies in no time :(

Curious
Not to discount the loss, but isn't it interesting that this story has been given more coverage then the woman killed by a CN train in Conrich yesterday?

DC
Welcome to reality, they tracks run through the wilderness and there is no way around it.

I am sure you will provide the funding to fence off the tracks ?

Bev Hearn, Calgary Alberta
This has got to end. I am fuming at the thought of yet two more Grizzlies struck down by the CPR.