Canada’s favourite Bear Boo eats Popsicles to Celebrate Birthday and Keep Cool

GOLDEN, CANADA, July 20, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- At 24 years old, Boo continues to impress us all. Standing an incredible 7 feet tall and currently weighing 295kg (650lbs), he remains a remarkable ambassador for bears and wildlife conservation.

Boo is a rescued Grizzly Bear who lives in a sanctuary at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, British Columbia, Canada.

With this year's unusually mild winter, Boo spent more time out of his den than we typically see. However, he wasn't very active during this time and spent most of his days doing what bears do best—napping in the sunshine! Although he was frequently visible outside his den, he did not fully emerge from his winter rest until early April. In fact, Boo wasn't offered his first meal of the year—a simple lettuce snack—until he had been consistently awake for four consecutive days.

This is completely normal behaviour for grizzly bears. Unlike true hibernators, grizzlies enter a state called torpor, a period of reduced activity where their heart rate, breathing, metabolism, and body temperature decrease significantly to conserve energy throughout the winter. During torpor, bears can wake up and move around periodically before returning to rest, especially during mild weather conditions.

At 24 years old, Boo is beginning to enter what would be considered his golden years. In the wild, grizzly bears typically live 25-30 years, meaning Boo would already be considered a senior bear. Bears in human care often live significantly longer, with life expectancies commonly reaching 35–40 years. The oldest recorded bear living in human care reached an incredible 56 years of age.

As Boo gets older, we are placing an even greater focus on his health and wellbeing. Our team has been working on cooperative care training, which allows Boo to voluntarily participate in many aspects of his healthcare. Through positive reinforcement training, Boo is learning behaviours that help us closely monitor his health as he ages while minimizing stress.

The goal of this training is to make routine medical procedures as comfortable as possible for him. By choosing to participate, Boo can help our veterinary team perform procedures such as injections, blood draws, physical examinations, and other health assessments without the need for unnecessary restraint or sedation. This approach not only reduces stress but also allows us to provide better preventative care and respond more quickly to any age-related health concerns that may arise.

Since fully emerging this spring, Boo has been thoroughly enjoying the warmer temperatures and all the sights and smells that come with the season. He's been active, curious, and keeping our team busy as always!

We're also excited that the gondola is now fully operational again. This allows us to resume our regular food drops from above, an important enrichment activity for Boo. By distributing food and supplements throughout his habitat, we encourage natural foraging behaviours, giving him the opportunity to search, explore, and work for his treats just as a wild bear would.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support Boo and the Refuge. Your support helps us provide the highest level of care and enrichment for this amazing old bear.

To learn more about Boo and his rescue story, visit our website or see him yourself by visiting Kicking Horse Mountain Resort for a Grizzly Bear Refuge Interpretive Tour. Many who visit National Parks say the most important thing they want to do is see wildlife with Bears topping list. So if you're planning to visit Banff National Park in Alberta Canada, add Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Golden, B.C to your trip plan (it's only a short drive down the scenic highway) - where you can see Boo. You can also try one of North America's best Via Ferrata's, mountain bike one of the biggest mountain bike parks in North America and go for a hike through the alpine.

We look forward to sharing more updates as the season progresses! Follow us on Social Media or check our website for updates throughout the summer.

Words by: Cindy Peacock, Grizzly Bear Refuge Animal Welfare Coordinator, KPA CTP, FFCP, CPDT KA, CBCC KA.

Matt Mosteller
Resorts of the Canadian Rockies Inc.
email us here

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