The Alberta government has reported a significant increase in the number of grizzly bears hunted by authorized hunters in recent months. Within the year, 13 grizzly bears have been killed through Alberta’s Wildlife Management Responder Network, with 11 of these deaths occurring in the last three-and-a-half months primarily due to livestock predation. Since its establishment in June 2024, the program has seen a total of 14 grizzly bears hunted by participants. Only one bear was hunted in 2025.
The province’s pool of “problem wildlife” responders comprises skilled Albertan hunters selected for the program. When situations arise where the province deems it necessary to eliminate a grizzly bear, these hunters may be called upon. The provincial ministry emphasized that its approach to wildlife management is science-driven, focusing on public safety, conflict reduction, and grizzly bear population recovery.
Grizzly bears were classified as a threatened species by the Government of Alberta in 2010. The Ministry of Forestry and Parks stated that management of grizzly bears aligns with provincial guidelines, considering factors such as attacks on livestock, pets, or humans when determining responses to incidents. The province noted an average of 11 grizzly bears were lethally removed annually between 2021 and 2025.
Although hunting grizzlies has been prohibited in Alberta since 2006, except for Indigenous hunting for subsistence or cultural reasons, the Wildlife Management Responder Network’s grizzly bear removal is not classified as hunting. The program issues authorizations on a case-by-case basis rather than through tags, allowing responders to retain the bear’s meat, hide, and other parts except for the gallbladder.
Notably, while the number of grizzly bears hunted through the wildlife responder program has increased, the overall human-caused bear mortality for the year remains below average. The province highlighted that human-caused bear mortality in 2026 is the second lowest since 2010, with no bears lethally removed impeding recovery goals.
Most grizzly bear incidents occurred in southwestern Alberta, an area known for its high grizzly bear population density. Wildlife biologist Andrea Morehouse explained that this region is part of a larger international bear population extending into British Columbia and Montana. The province stressed the importance of effective wildlife coexistence measures in areas where grizzly bear ranges intersect with populated regions like ranches.
Efforts to manage conflicts between bears and rural communities include coexistence programs, conflict mitigation strategies, and population monitoring. The provincial government has invested in initiatives to safeguard rural properties in southwestern Alberta from large carnivores, such as setting up electric fencing and upgrading grain bins. While estimates suggest around 1,000 grizzlies inhabit Alberta presently, the last provincial grizzly bear population study was conducted in 2018.