A Huge Canadian Grizzly Bear, Famously Known As “The Boss,” Survived Being Hit By A Train And Has Been Known To Devour Other Bears That Get In His Way
Grizzly bears are at the top of the food chain as the largest, most powerful predator in North America. But there’s one massive Canadian grizzly bear that has become a legend for his formidable size and admirable survival skills.
This bear, officially known as Bear 122 but better recognized as “The Boss,” is native to the Banff National Park located in Alberta, Canada. Established in 1887, Banff is Canada’s first national park and covers roughly 2,500 square miles of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
Around 70 other grizzly bears live in the wilderness area, but The Boss is the oldest, biggest, and most dominant resident.
The grizzly weighs over 600 pounds and is well past his 20th birthday, yet he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. In the wild, grizzly bears generally live up to 20 to 25 years.
Over the years, the giant beast has racked up a list of impressive feats that highlight his status as king of the forest and showcase his ability to withstand tough conditions.
First of all, the grizzly has been known to attack and feast on other bears that stand in his way. In 2013, a group of hikers found him devouring the remains of a black bear in the Sundance Canyon area of the park. The trail to that location was closed for the rest of the day to ensure the safety of hikers.
According to Steve Michel, a human-wildlife conflict specialist at Banff National Park, not much of the black bear was left, save for the skull, the hide, the four paws, and some bones.
When experts analyzed the scene, all evidence pointed to The Boss as the cause of the black bear’s demise. The smaller black bear wouldn’t have been much of a match for the large grizzly, so he probably met his end fairly quickly.
The Boss has also managed to survive being hit by a train, presumably due to his enormous size, which researchers discovered after conducting a study to figure out why grizzlies in the area were being killed by trains.
Antonioguillem – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual bear
During the study, The Boss wore a tracking collar that documented his collision with a passing train.
After the accident occurred, he was able to get up and lumber away as usual. He still travels along the tracks frequently, scavenging the carcasses of other animals that weren’t so lucky.
In addition, it is estimated that the grizzly is the father of more than 70 percent of the cubs born in recent years in the Banff National Park area.
Clearly, The Boss is a bear that can’t be beaten, and hopefully, he keeps doing his thing for years to come.
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