Provincial authorities are currently investigating a series of incidents where poachers have unlawfully killed grizzly bears in Alberta. Alberta’s Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services is looking into the illegal shooting of four grizzly bears at different locations. One grizzly bear was discovered shot dead on September 30 near Swan Hills, about 20 kilometers north of Edmonton. The following day, on October 1, another grizzly bear was found deceased in a secluded area between Little Smoky and Fox Creek, with all four paws missing.
Earlier in June, two grizzly bears were also found shot dead along a road close to Sundre, approximately 95 kilometers northwest of Calgary. Furthermore, in March this year, the province had sought public assistance in a poaching investigation after a grizzly bear was found dead from a gunshot wound in November 2025.
Hunting grizzly bears has been prohibited in Alberta since 2006, except for Indigenous hunters who harvest for subsistence or cultural purposes. The province is urging anyone with information on these poaching incidents or other wildlife offenses to contact the Report-A-Poacher line or submit a report online. Informants providing information leading to charges may qualify for a cash reward through the Report-A-Poacher program.
Gordon Stenhouse, a prominent biologist involved in grizzly bear population research in Alberta, expressed disappointment at the recent incidents, stating that abandoning the bodies of shot grizzly bears reflects a lack of respect for wildlife. Stenhouse suggested that the number of poached bears found is likely only a fraction of the actual incidents, with many cases going undetected.
The Alberta government’s records show that between 2020 and 2025, there were 28 confirmed cases of illegally killed grizzly bears, accounting for about 17% of grizzly bear deaths during that period. Other significant causes of grizzly bear mortality include actions by the province and vehicle collisions. Grizzly bears have been classified as a threatened species in Alberta since 2010.
Mark Boyce, an ecology professor at the University of Alberta, noted that while poaching may not be a major concern for grizzly bear conservation, the recent events are regrettable. Boyce highlighted the existence of a black market for grizzly bear paws, emphasizing the need for addressing the root causes of poaching.
Bear safety expert Kim Titchener emphasized the importance of fostering better co-existence between humans and bears, suggesting that communities prioritize resources like electric fencing and bear-resistant containers over resorting to killing grizzly bears. Titchener stressed the need to address the underlying conflicts between human activities and bear habitats to mitigate such incidents.
The Alberta government has allocated funding to enhance measures to deter large carnivores from rural properties in southwestern Alberta, aiming to reduce human-wildlife conflicts and protect grizzly bears. Various BearSmart programs are being supported across Alberta to minimize risks of such conflicts and decrease grizzly bear fatalities. The current estimated grizzly bear population in Alberta is around 1,000, although a comprehensive provincial population study has not been conducted since 2018.