Amiskwaciwâskahikan/Edmonton - Exposed Wildlife Conservancy, in collaboration with the Grizzly Bear Foundation and Alberta Wilderness Association, have called on the Government of Alberta to fully implement Alberta’s Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan and maintain the current closure of the provincial grizzly bear hunt.
Alberta stands at an important crossroads in wildlife governance, and recent public statements from the Minister of Forestry and Parks indicating that reopening Alberta’s grizzly bear hunt is under consideration to address human-bear conflict are extremely alarming. Hunting is not an effective conflict management tool, nor should it be positioned as one by the Ministry.
With no current population data and no credible evidence that hunting reduces human-wildlife conflict, there is no clear scientific basis for reinstating the hunt of a threatened species.
Grizzly bears are already extirpated (locally extinct) in the prairie regions of Alberta and remain listed as a Threatened species under Alberta’s Wildlife Act, a designation that comes with both a legal and ethical responsibility from the Province to prioritize their recovery and long-term survival.
Grizzly bears are among the slowest reproducing terrestrial mammals in North America, and a hunting season carries serious risks for the remaining populations of this threatened species. There is a distinct lack of current population data or information indicating that grizzly bears have recovered sufficiently to sustain further mortality. Before any further actions are taken, it’s imperative that there is transparent province-wide population monitoring and reporting.
Female grizzlies do not begin reproducing until later in life, produce relatively few cubs, and may only successfully raise a litter once every three to four years. Population recovery is therefore measured not in years, but in decades. Even small increases in human-caused mortality can have lasting consequences for regional populations, particularly where habitat pressures and lack of coexistence measures are of ongoing concern.
Alberta’s own scientific and policy guidance makes clear that conflict is not driven by grizzly bear abundance, but human behaviour and inadequate attractant management. Effective long-term conflict reduction depends on proactive coexistence strategies rather than reactive lethal responses.
Alberta’s comprehensive 2020 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan recognizes these realities and identifies reducing human-caused mortality as the central requirement for recovery. This includes mortality related to conflict, vehicle and rail collisions, poaching, and human-sourced attractants. The plan outlines clear, effective actions such as improved attractant management, access management in high-quality habitat, and strengthened monitoring and reporting.
Yet six years later, the government still has not implemented their own framework, which represents years of scientific research, public investment, and collaborative policy development. Failing to meaningfully implement this framework risks undermining public confidence in Alberta’s leadership and stewardship of threatened species.
Reintroducing a recreational hunt before recovery and proven conflict management measures are fully implemented would be inconsistent with the province's own strategy. Critically, it would introduce additional mortality while the primary drivers of conflict remain insufficiently addressed.
Maintaining the closure of the grizzly bear hunt while fully implementing the Recovery Plan is not simply a conservation recommendation; it is the minimum standard of responsible wildlife governance and an essential step toward ensuring the future of grizzly bears in the province.
We urge the Government of Alberta to prioritize a credible, evidence-based approach to wildlife governance, including:
Should the Government of Alberta choose to act in accordance with its own policy framework, demonstrate conservation responsibilities and commit to the clearest path toward long-term ecological stability, the province will have the support of the public majority, conservation organizations, tourism operators, and scientific communities.
You can let the government of Alberta know that you support the maintained closure of the grizzly bear hunt.
As part of a three-part series, members of the public are encouraged to send Letter 1: Alberta’s Grizzly Bears Need Recovery, Not a Hunt, calling on the Government of Alberta to implement its recovery plan and maintain the current hunt closure.
→ Read Our Opening Statement and Formal Letter to the Government
