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By rdnewsNOW staff

Bears/Elk

Provincial government taking aim at problem wildlife

Jul 9, 2024 | 4:49 PM

Alberta’s government says it is taking action to protect Albertans lives and livelihoods from problem wildlife, including grizzly bears.

So far in 2024, the Alberta government says there have been significantly more reports than usual of problematic – and dangerous – grizzly-human and grizzly-animal interactions as well as agricultural losses due to elk foraging.

As Alberta’s grizzly bear and elk populations continue to grow in numbers and expand their territories, the government says negative interactions have increased in both severity and frequency. Provincial officials say recent conflicts between grizzly bears and humans have been predatory in nature and have not been related to the protection of cubs or food sources. Additionally, the government claims agricultural losses due to elk foraging on crops are increasing across the province, and this problem requires additional tools to manage growing elk herds in Alberta.

To protect Alberta families and communities, visitors, and agricultural producers, Alberta’s government is announcing a multi-pronged approach to solving the issue of problem and dangerous wildlife by offering a range of management tools to address challenges.

Alberta’s government is creating a new network of ‘wildlife management responders’ to help stop dangerous and deadly grizzly bear attacks on people and livestock. When a problem animal like a grizzly or elk is identified, the government says members of the approved network will help provide rapid conflict response times across all regions of Alberta. Officials say this response could include tracking and euthanizing a problem animal, while still following all rules and regulations already in place. The government says, “This is not a bear hunt; this is a measure to ensure the safety of humans and livestock.”

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“The loss of even one human life because of a grizzly bear attack is one too many,” says Todd Loewen, Minister, Forestry and Parks. “We are taking a proactive approach to help Albertans co-exist with wildlife through our new wildlife management program. These changes demonstrate our commitment to ensuring Albertans can safely work and recreate throughout the province.”

“Losses suffered due to predation can be a significant blow to ranchers and farmers. This new program will reduce the number of losses, protect farms, and help producers avoid conflicts with wildlife,” adds RJ Sigurdson, Minister, Agriculture and Irrigation.

In addition to the network of wildlife management responders, Alberta’s government says it continues to fund educational initiatives to prevent human-wildlife conflict. Officials say the Community Bear Smart Grant Program has received $100,000 in funding to help community organizations educate Albertans about bear safety.

Other initiatives are said to include the Waterton Biosphere – Carnivores and Communities program, which offers ranchers and rural Albertans methods of preventing conflicts and losses due to carnivores. Programs like the Wildlife Aversion Program have also been successful in conditioning wildlife populations to avoid areas commonly used by people, the government points out.

Government officials say the WildSmart Community Program leads diverse education and outreach efforts in the Bow Valley to raise public awareness and empower citizens to coexist safely with wildlife. Officials say the Bow Valley is home to more than 25,000 people and is a major corridor for grizzly bears, black bears, cougars, wolves, elk, coyotes and other large mammals.

Provincial officials say another way to limit negative human-grizzly interactions is to restore important habitat for a range of species, providing the space and food they need. Last year, the government says extensive habitat enhancement work took place as part of improvements in Kananaskis parks and campgrounds, with additional projects underway.

Albertans interested in joining the network of wildlife management responders are invited to apply through the AlbertaRELM online licensing and draw applications system. Those who have been selected to participate in the program will be contacted to complete the application process. Approved problem wildlife responders will be directed to track and respond to grizzlies and other problem wildlife. The government says this action will occur after a problem animal has been reported to wildlife enforcement officers and determined to be a risk to life, livestock or property.

“Due to the increasing number of grizzly bears and the expansion of their territories, there is a heightened safety issue for rural Alberta residents,” states Dave Cox, reeve, MD of Pincher Creek. “I am pleased to see this new program from the Alberta government, our wildlife officers will now be able to respond to other important issues.”

Alberta government quick facts

• In 2020 there were three attacks; 2021 recorded a total of nine attacks by black and grizzly bears, contributing to a total of 104 attacks from 2000 to 2021.
• In 2023 and 2024 there were 120 head of livestock killed by black and grizzly bears (97 cattle, 23 sheep, one goat and 21 hogs) approved for compensation under the Wildlife Predator Compensation Program resulting from death or injury from grizzly bears. Losses amounted to $153,649 and $13.3 million in crop losses.
• Grizzly Bear numbers have increased from approximately 800 to more than 1,150 now, causing them to move into more populated rural areas.

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Sarah Elmeligi, Alberta NDP Critic for Environment and Tourism, issued the following statement in response:

“Killing grizzly bears does not reduce human-bear conflict. It does not solve the problem. We know from scientific research that the best way to reduce conflict is to work with people to better coexist with grizzly bears.

“Human use management on the landscape like the livestock compensation program, subsidies for electric fencing, attractant management on public and private land, and better education, are the things that actually reduce conflict. These programs should be amplified across the province to reduce conflict at its source.

“The most recent data-based population estimate of grizzly bears is between 856 and 973 bears. Grizzly bears have been listed as threatened since 2010 due to a low population size. The Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan shows that between 2010 and 2015, 10 grizzly bears were euthanized for management action, but the Minister is scaring Albertans into believing that grizzly attacks are commonplace and that the only way to solve the problem is to kill bears. This is just outright false. Killing bears doesn’t reduce conflict, it reduces populations. How can that be acceptable when at the same time we are committed to recovering the population? Again, a UCP Minister is choosing to serve himself and his friends rather than Albertans who have spoken in support of grizzly bear recovery time and time again.

“As a bear biologist myself, it is clear to me that this decision by the UCP government is not informed by science or scientific data; the approach of shooting your way out of wildlife management challenges is archaic and needless.

“There was also no formal consultation with the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan team, wildlife biologists, Indigenous groups or the general public on ending an 18-year moratorium to allow trophy hunters to shoot grizzly bears. Is it a coincidence that Minister Loewen has a financial interest in a hunting guide outfitting company?

“Minister Loewen must immediately strike this regulation from the Wildlife Act and implement all aspects of the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan because that’s how we actually address coexistence and recovery.”

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