The Alberta government has recorded a notable increase in the number of grizzly bears killed by hunters under its Wildlife Management Responder Network in recent months. This year, 13 grizzly bears have been hunted and killed through the program, with 11 of these incidents occurring within the last three-and-a-half months, primarily due to livestock predation.
Since its establishment in June 2024, a total of 14 grizzly bears have been taken down by authorized hunters in Alberta. Only one bear was hunted in 2025. The province’s “problem wildlife” responders, comprising qualified local hunters selected for the program, are called upon to eliminate grizzly bears deemed necessary by the government.
The government’s approach to managing wildlife, particularly grizzly bears, prioritizes public safety, conflict reduction, and the recovery of grizzly bear populations, guided by scientific principles and expert advice. Grizzly bear killings through the program have occurred outside designated recovery areas.
Grizzly bears were classified as a threatened species by the Alberta government in 2010. The management of grizzly bears follows provincial guidelines that consider factors such as attacks on livestock, pets, or humans when determining the appropriate response to incidents.
While grizzly hunting has been prohibited in Alberta since 2006, with exceptions for Indigenous subsistence or cultural practices, the removal of grizzly bears through the Wildlife Management Responder Network is different from hunting as authorizations are granted on a case-by-case basis without tags.
Despite the rise in grizzly bear killings through the wildlife responder program, the overall human-caused bear mortality in 2026 is lower than usual in Alberta. The province emphasizes that it is achieving recovery goals and implementing proactive approaches to manage grizzlies when necessary, especially in conflict-prone areas.
The majority of grizzly bear removals have occurred in southwestern Alberta, an area known for its high grizzly bear population density. Effective wildlife coexistence measures are essential in this region to address conflicts between bears and rural communities, necessitating a range of solutions, including coexistence programs, population monitoring, and necessary lethal removals.
The provincial government has invested in programs to mitigate conflicts with large carnivores in southwestern Alberta, including the installation of electric fencing, upgrades to grain bins, and removal of dead stock. While an estimated 1,000 grizzly bears currently inhabit Alberta, there has been no provincial grizzly bear population study since 2018.