More than a year has passed since the Alberta government introduced a team of hunters to deal with “problem” grizzly bears, and the province has reported the killing of one bear. The Ministry of Forestry and Parks revealed that four grizzly responders were deployed to handle conflicts, resulting in the lethal removal of a single grizzly bear due to livestock killings.
During the recent legislative session, Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen confirmed the bear’s death near Twin Butte in mid-June. Grizzly bear hunting has been prohibited in Alberta since 2006, except for specific instances under the Wildlife Management Responder Network program initiated through a ministerial order in June 2024.
Qualified hunters selected for the program make up the pool of “grizzly responders.” When deemed necessary by the province, these hunters may be called upon to eliminate a grizzly bear. Despite not being labeled as a bear hunt, the program allows responders to retain the bear’s meat, hide, and other parts, excluding the gallbladder.
Former Alberta Fish and Wildlife officer John Clarke emphasized the importance of preventing human-grizzly conflicts by promoting bear awareness and deterring bears from populated areas. He advocated for governmental support in implementing measures like electric fences and livestock management to mitigate bear-related issues.
Clarke expressed concerns about the potential misidentification of bears targeted for removal by public hunters instead of Fish and Wildlife officers. Minister Loewen acknowledged the success of the grizzly bear recovery program but stressed the urgency to address negative grizzly-human interactions, citing the increasing bear population moving into populated regions.
The province’s recovery plan includes habitat restoration efforts in areas like Kananaskis Country and education programs such as Bear Smart to promote co-existence with bears. Loewen highlighted the rise in grizzly bear density across Alberta and reiterated the program’s focus on mitigating conflicts to safeguard both human livelihoods and bear populations.