Grizzly Bear Management
Last Review/Updated: April 18, 2008
The goal of the Alberta government is to ensure grizzly bears survive and thrive on Alberta’s landscapes.
Management for grizzly bears includes numerous actions to address conservation needs of the species. Alberta Sustainable Resource Development has undertaken, is conducting or is supporting ongoing efforts that reflect recommended actions in the provincial recovery plan.
- Reduce human-caused mortality
- Hunt suspended (for 3 years) in 2006
- Regional information is available to outline habitat areas and to apply land use guidelines.
- Improve knowledge
- To determine population sizes, DNA surveys conducted since 2004 and ongoing in 2007.
- Monitor mortality through an annual database, established in 2004.
- Tracking and analysis of habitat conditions from Montana north to Hinton area is soon to be completed; data are valuable for implementing regional planning approach to grizzly bear management.
- Addressing knowledge gaps partly through grizzly bear health status research begun in 2006 and ongoing in 2007.
- Completed improvements to provincial grizzly bear database.
- Reduce human/bear conflicts—Working with People
- Enhance communication and awareness – launched BearSmart in May 2006 with specific programs and materials directed toward:
- Recreation in bear country
- Residents living in bear country
- Agricultural producers in bear country
- Hunters coping with potential conflicts with bears
- Reduce conflicts—Manage Bear Behaviour
- Enhanced ability to assess causes of conflicts and put in place improved protocols for dealing with problem grizzly bears to minimize likelihood of bear relocation or removal.
- Acquired more Karelian bear dogs to assist officers in a variety of activities, including dealing with human-bear conflict situations.
- Continued grizzly bear intercept program in southwest Alberta to reduce livestock losses and encounters with bears.
- Continued vegetation management and access management for public safety.
- Interjurisdictional Coordination
- Continued to participate in Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.
- Developing comprehensive interagency database on grizzly bears to improve planning and cross-border cooperation with B.C. and Montana.
Documents
- Backgrounder Alberta Bear Recovery Program – April 2008
- Backgrounder Alberta BearSmart Program – July 2007
- Backgrounder Alberta Grizzly Mortality – 2000-2007 - April 18, 2008
- Backgrounder on DNA census - September 2007
- Backgrounder Scientific Review of Draft Plan – updated September 2007
Please note
All documents are prepared as pdf files for easy downloading; you will need Acrobat Reader to view these files, which you can obtain by going to www.adobe.com.
