Meeting The Big Boss Bear of Banff National Park (2024)

The Boss Bear – also known as Bear 122 – is the most famous grizzly bear in Banff National Park. If you’ve spent any time in the Park, you’ve already heard about him. He’s one of the biggest, baddest and largest grizzly bears in the Park. Known for being struck by a train (twice!), fighting with his rival bear Split Lip, and even snacking on smaller black bears, the Boss has become one of most famous bears in Canada.

Unfortunately, last year The Boss has become even more notorious for hanging around the Town of Banff itself. It’s not unusual for The Boss to be spotted around the townsite, but this time he was seen snacking on crab apples in a resident’s back yard! He has also made the news once more for bluff charging residents.

Parks Canada has been doing their best to discourage The Boss and other bears away from the populated areas, where their acclimation to human food becomes a risk to both the humans and the bears.

I’ve been extremely fortunate to have seen the Boss on several different occasions, which I’ll share with you below.

Some History on the Boss

Depending on the time of year, the Boss of Banff can be anywhere from 500 – 650lbs. Because of his massive size, he has the first pick of all the best food.

He can easily chase wolves and coyotes away from a carcass and have his fill before letting them feast on their own kill. He has even been seen snacking on smaller bears.

He covers a territory up to 1500km, but spends much of his time inside of the Park. He has been spotted inside of the Town of Banff from time to time, and is known to search the railway tracks for bits of grain that falls off the trains.

This is likely how he was hit by a train – though he survived! Since then, it seems that the Boss has gotten more train smart. When he hears the whistle, he clears the tracks.

When he travels through an area that requires him to cross a busy road or populated area he just knows the drill. Someone spots the giant, reports him to Parks Canada and he waits for the wildlife specialist to place their vehicles to block traffic so he can safely cross! He is even treated like a bit of a celebrity.

How old is the Boss of Banff?

The Boss is around 25 – 27 years old in 2024, which is quite old for a grizzly bear. In the wild, grizzlies have an expected lifespan of 20 – 25 years. But there have been reports of grizzlies living to 30.

Many people ask if the Boss is still alive when they see the photos. He is indeed still terrorizing the other grizzlies in the area and in great health.

The Boss faces very few natural threats, and given his size and stature he has easy access to the best food sources any time of year. He is often one of the first grizzlies out of hibernation in the spring time and the last to retire in the fall.

The times that I’ve seen him, he has been strong and healthy with no signs of slowing down. This is also fantastic news for the health of the future grizzly bear population.

A Busy Bear

Being the most dominant male of the Park, the Boss is thought to have fathered up to 70% of the grizzlies in Banff.

How does Parks Canada know this? In Banff, wildlife overpasses have been constructed for animals to safely cross the highway. When animals pass, some of their hairs are collected on strategically placed wire so that scientists can test the DNA.

It’s funny to think that The Boss just goes about his daily bear business without any consideration for how famous he is.

My First Encounter with The Boss

On April 4th, 2022, I saw him feeding on a small deer carcass. I was still seeing his tracks as late as December 8th this year.

In the springtime, I estimate him to be between 500 and 550 lbs. He would have been around 650 in late fall. I was able to get this beautiful shot when he stepped out from the woods and his face was illuminated in the sunlight.

❗ The photos you see below were taken from far away with a telephoto lens. I’m not as close to the Boss as it might look. He’s a wild animal, so for both of our safety, I always keep my distance. It’s never worth risking your life, or an animal’s life, for a good picture.

You can see the many scars on his snout presumably from fighting with other bears and smaller predators. He has a distinctive chunk missing out of his right ear (our left when looking at him face on). He once sported a yellow tag here to identify him as Bear #122.

Grizzly bears can be identified first of all by their huge size and very powerful look, but also by the hump in their shoulders. They are larger and can be more aggressive than black bears. Grizzlies also have short rounded ears with a larger blocky shaped head compared to the larger ears and more pointed muzzle of a black bear. Another distinct give away is the large long claws of a grizzly.

I watched him feast over a two day period. It was fascinating to see his feeding patterns. He would bury the carcass with sticks and snow and then sleep on top of it to guard his meal while sleeping. Although I didn’t see them during this two day window, I could tell there were wolves nearby who would happily close in on his meal if he wasn’t watching.

This coyote could only watch with jealousy as the Boss gorged on venison. He might cautiously sneak in for a bite or two, but he would be no match for the Boss!

Planning to Visit Banff?

Consider booking a wildlife viewing tour! Though you’re never guaranteed to see animals, your chances are pretty good. These tours take you to the most popular spots for wildlife to hang out in Banff – with the added bonus of a guide to help you spot them.

A Second Encounter

Later in the year, in November, I was extremely fortunate to see the Boss once again. With snow covering the ground, I was able to see his massive tracks just before daylight.

I was lucky to see him four hours later and three kilometers away on that same day. He was feeding on spilled grain along the railway tracks. At this time, he must have been closer to 650lbs. A bear his size might not hibernate until late December if food is still available for him.

I noticed this fall he seemed to be following the local wolf pack around. Even though I believe there would be confrontation and resistance from the wolves, when push came to shove, he would be able to take over their kill.

As soon as the Boss heard the train coming, he knew it was time to get off the tracks. I was reassured that he learned his lesson since being struck by a train. It looks like it will take more than a train to slow the Boss down.

Even at his heaviest, probably weighing around 650lbs, he was able to jump over the barrier with grace and agility.

The Boss’s reputation definitely precedes him and I’m always grateful for a chance to observe him in the wild. I hope he reigns as the King of Banff National Park for years to come.

Boss Bear Gifts & Souvenirs

If you find yourself inspired by this famous grizzly, check out our online gift store! Prints of the Boss and other notable bears of Banff are available. We ship stunning metal, canvas and lustre prints worldwide.

I hope you enjoyed this article about one famous Canadian grizzly! You can read more about the grizzly bears of Banff here:

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