More than a year following the announcement by the Alberta government about establishing a group of hunters to deal with troublesome grizzly bears, the province has reported the killing of one bear. According to Michael Plenits, the Ministry of Forestry and Parks press secretary, four grizzly responders have been dispatched for grizzly conflicts, resulting in the lethal removal of one bear due to livestock killings.
During a legislative session on Tuesday, Minister Todd Loewen confirmed the killing of a bear in mid-June near Twin Butte, situated in the Pincher Creek municipality of southern Alberta. Grizzly bear hunting has been prohibited in Alberta since 2006, except in specific cases under the Wildlife Management Responder Network program, which was implemented through a ministerial order in June 2024.
Qualified hunters selected for the program make up the province’s pool of “grizzly responders.” When deemed necessary by the province to eliminate a grizzly bear, these hunters are called upon. The program allows responders to retain the bear’s meat, hide, and all parts except the gallbladder after tracking and shooting the bear.
Retired Alberta Fish and Wildlife officer John Clarke emphasized the importance of bear awareness to prevent human-grizzly conflicts in rural Alberta. He suggested that discouraging bears from populated areas could significantly reduce the need for their killing. Clarke also highlighted the government’s financial support for measures like electric fences and grain storage upgrades to deter bears from farms.
Minister Loewen expressed satisfaction with the province’s grizzly bear recovery program but noted concerns about increasing grizzly-human interactions. The Wildlife Management Responder Network aims to address such interactions. The province observed a rise in the grizzly bear population, leading to their movement into more populated regions, resulting in negative encounters and livestock losses.
Mountain View Bear Smart, an organization monitoring bear encounters in central Alberta, documented multiple instances of grizzly bear attacks on animals. Minister Loewen emphasized the importance of preventing livelihood losses due to these negative interactions. The province’s recovery plan includes habitat restoration and educational programs like Bear Smart for proper coexistence with bears.
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