“One of the ways we feed our resident Grizzly bear Boo!”
I had no idea Kicking Horse Mountain Resort up in Golden, British Columbia is home to North Americas largest enclosed and protected mountainside grizzly habitat. The 20-acre area is home to Boo The Grizzly who forages for food but also has airdrops for extra calories from a gondola that guests can ride to see him from above:
“Using harnesses, we are able to safely open the doors and drop food throughout his enclosure. Boo is able to naturally forage for up to half of his daily nutrient needs. However, a large bruin like Boo can cover almost as much as 1400 square kilometers in this region, and although Boo has a large home, he is not going to get the full caloric intake of what he needs on a daily basis from his habitat alone. In order to ensure Boo is getting what he needs, we boost his diet with extra calories. Spreading out the food provides Boo with more enrichment as he has to use his senses to locate the food. This form of delivery also allows us to drop in bigger food items such as the odd animal carcass, typically provided from local roadkill!”
More info on tours HERE and if you don’t see Boo during your initial visit you can return for another FREE tour.
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Grizzly Bear Refuge
One thing that sets Kicking Horse Mountain Resort apart from all other ski resorts is the Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge. The 20-acre area is the home of our resident grizzly bear, Boo. Boo hunts, plays, forages and explores within this natural mountainside habitat just like his wild cousins.
The interpretive centre is open daily during the summer and provides guests with the opportunity to observe an adult grizzly bear going about his daily routine. Everyone who comes to visit Boo is fascinated by his strength, agility, intelligence, and personality.
If you don’t see Boo during your initial visit, you can return for another FREE* tour. All of our visitors agree that sighting Boo the Grizzly Bear in his natural habitat is a truly unique experience and one they will never forget!
