In recent months, the number of grizzly bears hunted under Alberta government authorization has seen a significant increase. Through Alberta’s Wildlife Management Responder Network this year, 13 grizzly bears have been hunted, with 11 of them taken down within the past three-and-a-half months, primarily due to livestock predation. Since the program’s launch in June 2024, a total of 14 grizzly bears have been hunted by authorized hunters, with only one kill recorded in 2025.
The province’s roster of “problem wildlife” responders comprises skilled Alberta hunters selected for the program. When circumstances demand a grizzly bear’s removal, these hunters may be called upon. Alberta’s Ministry of Forestry and Parks stated that its wildlife management strategy is science-driven, focusing on public safety, conflict reduction, and grizzly bear population recovery.
Grizzly bears were classified as a threatened species by the Alberta government in 2010. The Ministry of Forestry and Parks emphasized that grizzly bear management adheres to provincial guidelines, considering factors like attacks on livestock, pets, or humans when deciding on responses to incidents. The province reported an average of 11 grizzly bears being lethally removed annually from 2021 to 2025.
Although grizzly hunting has been prohibited in Alberta since 2006, except for Indigenous hunting for subsistence or cultural purposes, the removal of grizzlies through the Wildlife Management Responder Network is distinct from hunting as authorizations are granted on a case-by-case basis rather than through tags. The province highlighted that the bear’s meat, hide, and other parts can be kept by the responder, except for the gallbladder.
Despite the rise in grizzly bear removals through the wildlife responder program, the province mentioned that the overall human-caused bear mortality in 2026 is lower than usual. Alberta asserted that it is meeting recovery goals and employing proactive management approaches where necessary, aiming for pragmatic management in conflict-prone areas.
Most grizzly bear removals via the program occurred in southwestern Alberta, an area noted for the highest grizzly bear population density in the province. Wildlife biologist Andrea Morehouse explained that this region is part of a larger international bear population extending into southeastern British Columbia and Montana, posing challenges for rural communities.
Efficient wildlife coexistence measures are deemed essential in areas where grizzly bear ranges intersect with populated regions, such as ranches and livestock operations. Various solutions, including coexistence programs, conflict mitigation, population monitoring, and necessary lethal removals, are advocated for effective management. The provincial government’s investment in southwestern Alberta to deter large carnivores from rural properties includes initiatives like electric fencing, grain bin upgrades, and dead stock removal. Alberta estimates the current grizzly bear population at around 1,000, with the last provincial population study conducted in 2018.