Banff's 'The Boss' Grizzly: Reigning Yet Contested
The Enduring Reign of Bear 122
Banff’s legendary grizzly, ‘The Boss,’ officially Bear 122, continues to captivate the Bow Valley. At an impressive mid-to-late twenties, he remains the dominant male, weighing up to 700 pounds. Renowned for surviving multiple train strikes and believed to have sired 50-70% of the Bow Valley’s grizzly cubs, his enduring legacy is undeniable.
New Challenges in the Wild
However, ‘The Boss’ faces stiff competition, particularly from Bear 136, ‘Split Lip.’ Recent facial scars observed on Bear 122 suggest these dominance struggles are real. His movements also highlight the complex dance between wildlife and human activity; he made an unprecedented visit to residential Canmore in November 2024 for mountain ash berries and emerged from his den on April 7, 2025—his latest wake-up in over a decade. These instances underscore the ever-present challenge of coexistence in a bustling national park. The saga of ‘The Boss’ serves as a powerful reminder of nature’s resilience amidst growing human presence.
