After months of deep winter sleep, one of Canada’s most iconic grizzlies has awakened. Known simply as “The Boss,” the massive grizzly bear — officially tagged as Bear 122 — has been spotted roaming the Lower Bow Valley in Banff National Park, Alberta. Weighing approximately 650 pounds (295 kg), this dominant male continues to reign as the undisputed alpha of the region.

The Boss has earned his legendary status through an extraordinary tale of survival and dominance. Wildlife experts believe he has fathered an estimated 70% of the grizzly cubs in the local population. His resume includes surviving not one, but two separate collisions with trains, feeding on smaller black bears, and accumulating battle scars that mark him as a formidable survivor in a harsh wilderness.

Now believed to be in his mid-to-late 20s, The Boss remains a spectacular sight. Recognizable by his enormous size, facial scars, and a missing portion of his right ear, he commands respect from both rival bears and human observers. Despite the constant pressures of living near human infrastructure in one of Canada’s busiest national parks, he continues to thrive as a powerful symbol of wild resilience.

Parks Canada and local wildlife photographers have confirmed his emergence in late March, with reports describing him as looking strong and healthy after hibernation. As spring returns to the Canadian Rockies, The Boss’s return signals the awakening of the mountains — and reminds us that in Banff’s Bow Valley, he is still very much in charge.

A true giant of the wild has awakened once again.