Alberta takes important first step in grizzly conservation: More work to be done

Posted on March 8, 2006

On Friday, March 3, the Alberta government announced it will suspend the spring grizzly bear hunt while DNA census data is collected throughout the province, which is expected to continue over the next few years. "While we pursue better grizzly bear population estimates, Alberta will take the most precautionary approach possible with the spring hunt," said Minister of Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Dave Coutts. In addition to suspending the hunt, the government has committed to completing the DNA-based population studies, reducing the number of human-bear conflicts through public education and regulations, and has requested the assistance of several widely-known grizzly experts to provide scientific peer review on the current draft grizzly bear recovery plan.

Population studies released on Friday show that in 2002 there were just 147 grizzlies in west-central Alberta (between Highway 11/David Thompson Highway, the North Saskatchewan River, and Highway 16/Yellowhead Highway, the Athabasca River). In 2004, the census shows there's only 53 left. These numbers reflect key contributors to grizzly decline: increase in roads and access and degradation of important grizzly habitat.

While Friday's announcements are very positive news for Alberta's grizzly populations, it is apparent that there is an urgent need to provide protection for key grizzly habitat in order to ensure sustainable populations in the long-term. There are several excellent candidate protected areas in the Rocky Mountain Foothills, that would provide important intact habitat for grizzlies if legislatively protected. These potential protected areas include the Bighorn, Little Smoky and Kakwa.

CPAWS looks forward to an announcement from the provincial government committing to the full implementation and funding of the recovery plan, including protection of important habitat, access management planning and designation of the grizzly as a threatened species.