The Boss loses tracking collar, keeps roaming Banff

Bear 122 — known to locals as The Boss — removed his GPS tracking collar just days after Parks Canada captured and fitted him with one, continuing a pattern typical of large male grizzlies who find the devices more annoyance than necessity.

Parks Canada trapped The Boss on May 13 as part of an ongoing monitoring program to track grizzly movement and habitat use across Banff and the surrounding Rocky Mountain parks. The agency collars bears to gather data supporting habitat security models and adaptive management decisions.

"Within a week he was able to remove the collar, which is not unusual for a large male grizzly to do," said Justin Brisbane, a Parks Canada spokesperson.

The 700-pound bear is a living legend in the region. He's survived two train collisions, fathered roughly three-quarters of the cubs in the Banff area, and earned his own Wikipedia page and merchandise line — including a fight-poster-style t-shirt sold at Banff Sunshine Village. Wildlife experts estimate he's between 25 and 30 years old.

Parks Canada did not confirm whether they plan to recapture The Boss and try again. Meanwhile, bear activity around Banff remains elevated as spring feeding and mating seasons drive more wildlife to lower elevations and roadsides, where human encounters are increasingly likely.

The city's best-known bear remains exactly what he's always been: impossible to pin down.