The Alberta government has reported a significant increase in the number of grizzly bears hunted by authorized hunters in recent months. A total of 13 grizzly bears have been killed through the province’s Wildlife Management Responder Network this year, with 11 of them being hunted within the last three-and-a-half months, mainly due to livestock predation.
Since the program’s establishment in June 2024, a total of 14 grizzly bears have been taken down by hunters, with only one being hunted in 2025. The province’s “problem wildlife” responders, consisting of qualified Albertan hunters selected for the program, are called upon when deemed necessary to address situations where a grizzly bear needs to be eliminated.
The Alberta Ministry of Forestry and Parks stated that their wildlife management approach is science-based, focusing on public safety, conflict reduction, and grizzly bear population recovery. Grizzly bear deaths through the program have occurred outside designated recovery areas, aligning with the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan’s objectives.
Designated as a threatened species in 2010, grizzly bear management in Alberta follows provincial guidelines, considering factors like attacks on livestock, pets, or humans when determining responses to incidents. Although hunting grizzlies has been prohibited in Alberta since 2006, exceptions are made for Indigenous hunters for cultural or subsistence purposes.
While the number of grizzlies hunted through the Wildlife Management Responder Network has increased, the overall human-caused bear mortality in 2026 is lower than usual, according to the province. The area with the highest grizzly bear population density in Alberta, particularly in southwestern Alberta, faces challenges requiring effective wildlife coexistence measures.
Efforts to manage the situation include coexistence programs, conflict mitigation, population monitoring, and lethal removals when necessary. The provincial government has committed to investing in initiatives to prevent conflicts with large carnivores, such as grizzly bears, in rural areas. Despite an estimated 1,000 grizzlies in Alberta, there has not been a recent provincial grizzly bear population study since 2018.