The Alberta government has reported a significant increase in the number of grizzly bears killed by hunters authorized through the Wildlife Management Responder Network. This year, 13 grizzly bears have been killed, with 11 of them being hunted in the last three-and-a-half months, mainly due to livestock predation. Since the program’s launch in June 2024, a total of 14 grizzly bears have been taken down by hunters, with only one in 2025.
The province’s pool of “problem wildlife” responders comprises qualified Alberta hunters selected for the program. These hunters are called upon when the province deems it necessary to eliminate a grizzly bear. The provincial ministry emphasized that its approach to wildlife management is science-based, focusing on public safety, conflict reduction, and grizzly bear population recovery.
While the province did not disclose specific details about the recent killings, it confirmed that all grizzly bear deaths through the program occurred outside designated recovery areas. Grizzly bears were classified as a threatened species in Alberta in 2010, with their management guided by provincial guidelines considering factors like attacks on livestock, pets, or humans.
Hunting grizzlies has been prohibited in Alberta since 2006, except for Indigenous hunters harvesting for subsistence or cultural reasons. The province clarified that grizzly removal via the Wildlife Management Responder Network is not considered a hunt, as authorizations are granted on a case-by-case basis without tags. The province mentioned that the program does not allow the retention of the bear’s gallbladder, similar to sport hunting regulations.
Despite the rise in grizzly bear killings through the responder program, the province highlighted that the overall human-caused bear mortality in 2026 is lower than usual. The province emphasized that it is achieving recovery goals and managing grizzlies proactively, guided by practical management strategies in conflict-prone areas. The province acknowledged the need for different management options where agricultural activities overlap with grizzly bear habitats.
Most of the grizzly bear killings through the program occurred in southwestern Alberta, an area with the highest grizzly bear population density in the province. Wildlife biologist Andrea Morehouse noted that the region hosts a significant international population of bears extending into British Columbia and Montana, posing challenges to rural communities. Effective wildlife coexistence measures are crucial for residents in bear country, according to Jeff Bectell, co-ordinator of the Carnivores and Communities Program in the Waterton Biosphere Region.
The provincial government has committed financial resources to implement measures to keep large carnivores away from rural properties in southwestern Alberta. Despite an estimated population of about 1,000 grizzlies in Alberta, there has not been a provincial study on the grizzly bear population since 2018.