Walt Disney gifted Alberta a cartoon character and it's iconic

You might recognize him from your school days but you probably don’t know the unique story behind Alberta’s iconic cartoon character, Bertie Beaver.

Sometimes referred to as Canada’s Smokey Bear, Bertie Beaver has been used for over 65 years to help educate the public about the importance of preserving our forests.

Bertie Beaver turns 65 this year! He was created just for us in 1958 by Walt Disney after the government assisted with Disney’s wildlife documentaries in Kananaskis Country #BertieBeaver pic.twitter.com/Q2HnyvdjP4

— Alberta Wildfire (@AlbertaWildfire) April 28, 2023

It’s all thanks to none other than the king of cartoons himself, Walt Disney. He created the quirky character as a gift to the province after all its help in the production of nature documentaries Disney produced in the 1950s and ’60s.

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These films include the Oscar-winning documentary White Wilderness, and Nikki: Wild Dog of the North, which was shot in Kananaskis and released in 1961.

It all started after four wolverines were captured by wardens in Banff National Park and caged on Tunnel Mountain. A couple of photographers hired by Disney, Tom McHugh and Franke Beebe, took to the mountain to help tame them so they could record their way of life in their natural habitat.

McHugh and Beebe even named some of the animals, with one of them being given the honorary name of Walt after Walt Disney.

According to Mary Graham in her book A Stunning Backdrop, “Walt was a quiet, little mahogany-coloured wolverine who asserts himself rarely.”

Just a few years later, Disney visited the Calgary Stampede as its Parade marshal and was even pictured with the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and toothy mascot in 1965.

Bertie has been a welcome addition to the Alberta Wildfire team since his creation in 1958.

If you feel inspired by Bertie’s story, download a free educational colouring book featuring the furry character from the Alberta government’s website here.