Grizzly bear killings have spiked through provincial program; government says recovery still priority

The number of grizzly bears killed by hunters authorized by the Alberta government has surged over the past few months.

There have been 13 grizzly bears killed through Alberta’s Wildlife Management Responder Network this year.

Eleven of those bears were killed within the last three-and-a-half months, with livestock predation being the leading reason.

Since the program’s inception in June 2024, there have been a total of 14 grizzly bears killed by hunters. Only one was killed in 2025.

The province’s pool of “problem wildlife” responders consists of qualified Albertan hunters who applied and were selected for the program. When a situation arises where the province deems it appropriate for a grizzly bear to be killed, those hunters may be called upon.

“Forestry and Parks’ approach to wildlife management is guided by science and expert advice, with a focus on maintaining public safety, reducing conflicts, and continuing to recover grizzly bear populations,” the provincial ministry said in a statement sent to CBC News.

The province did not confirm when or where exactly the most recent killings happened, but said all grizzly bear deaths through the program have happened outside designated recovery areas.

“Grizzly bears are managed, first and foremost, with a recovery objective in Alberta, as outlined in the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan,” the province said.

Grizzly bears were designated a threatened species by the Government of Alberta in 2010.

“Management of grizzly bears falls under provincial guidelines, with factors such as whether they’ve attacked livestock, pets or humans being taken into consideration when determining how to respond to incidents,” the Ministry of Forestry and Parks said.

The province says an average of 11 grizzly bears were lethally removed every year from 2021 to 2025.

Hunting grizzlies has been banned in Alberta since 2006, with the exception of harvesting by Indigenous hunters for subsistence or cultural purposes.

The province has said grizzly removal through the Wildlife Management Responder Network is not considered a grizzly hunt, as authorizations are granted on a case-by-case basis rather than through tags.

But much like sport hunting, the responder can keep the bear’s meat, hide and all other parts of the animal, except for its gallbladder. 

Province says grizzly plan is ‘achieving recovery goals’

While the number of grizzlies killed through the wildlife responder program has soared, the province says the overall number of bears killed by people this year is lower than usual.

“When considering recovery metrics, human-caused bear mortality in 2026 is the second lowest in Alberta since 2010,” the province said.

“In no year has human-caused mortality exceeded 3.5 per cent of the estimated population since 2010. None of the bears that have been lethally removed in 2026 are considered to have impeded recovery objectives,” the province said.

“Alberta is achieving recovery goals and taking proactive approaches to manage grizzlies where necessary, guided by pragmatic management in areas where conflict is more pronounced.”

Where agricultural activity and grizzly habitat overlap, the province says there’s “a need for a slightly different suite of management options.”

Grizzly bears create challenges in southwestern Alberta

The majority of grizzly bear killings through the program have happened in southwestern Alberta — an area that research suggests has the highest grizzly bear population density in the province.

Wildlife biologist Andrea Morehouse says the area’s relatively high grizzly population is part of a much larger international population of bears that extends into southeastern British Columbia and Montana.

“There is a cost associated with having grizzly bears on the landscape, and that cost is disproportionately borne by rural communities,” she said.

The area’s unique geography means there’s a high degree of overlap between grizzly bear ranges and populated areas, such as ranches and livestock operations.

That’s why effective wildlife coexistence measures are necessary for people living and working in bear country, says Jeff Bectell, co-ordinator of the Waterton Biosphere Region’s Carnivores and Communities Program.

“Among many rural people, there is a feeling that there’s a lot of bears, that they are abundant, and while they are magnificent and most people enjoy watching them from a distance … it’s creating difficulties for people who are living with them,” he said.

Bectell says a variety of solutions are needed to manage the situation effectively, including coexistence and conflict mitigation programs, population monitoring, and lethal removals when necessary.

The provincial government announced in 2024 it would invest $700,000 over five years to help keep large carnivores away from rural properties in southwestern Alberta, including setting up electric fencing, upgrading grain bins and removing dead stock. 

The province estimates there are about 1,000 grizzlies in Alberta today, though there hasn’t been a provincial grizzly bear population study since 2018.