The Boss is back in action.

Grizzly No. 122, one of the largest in Banff National Park, is out of his den.

The male, who weighs approximately 300 kgs, became famous for eating a black bear and, more recently, for fathering at least five of the younger bears in the park

Affectionately known as 'The Boss,' he was spotted wandering around the park on the weekend.

It's one of the earliest sightings of No. 122, often the first to emerge, but only by a couple of weeks.

Last year, he came out of hibernation around March 19 when he was caught on a remote camera at a research site. In 2014, he was first spotted by a train crew near the railway tracks on March 16.

A couple of black bears have also been spotted in Waterton Lakes National Park and in Kananaskis Country.

"We had two reports of a black bear near Kananaskis Village," said John Paczkowski, a wildlife biologist with Kananaskis Country.

He said it's early for black bears, noting the grizzlies are usually out first in the middle of March.

"We haven't identified any (grizzly) bears out just yet," said Paczkowski, noting they are still high up in the alpine at their den sites. "Typically the first bears out are the large adult male grizzly bears."

A grizzly bear has also been spotted just outside of Waterton Lakes National Park.

cderworiz@postmedia.com