AWA Statement: At least 14 grizzly bears killed by Alberta-endorsed hunters
September 21, 2026
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At least 14 grizzly bears have already been killed under the province’s Wildlife Management Responder Network, which allows hunters to kill “problem” animals. However, there has been no information released as to why any of these bears were killed, or whether any alternative actions were considered.
This total is a massive increase from the single bear reported to be killed in 2025 and the four bears that have been killed as of June 2026.
“We have no information on the reasons behind the sudden increase in bear removals,” says Ruiping Luo, Conservation Specialist with Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA). “We don’t know why these bears were considered problem animals, how the province decided these bears needed to be killed, or the extent to which these deaths are impacting the population. Albertans should be allowed to know how our wildlife is being managed, but none of the information to do so is available.”
The Alberta Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan suggests removing attractants and averse conditioning as ways to manage conflict and reduce grizzly bear deaths. Studies have shown that these methods, along with educational initiatives, are effective at reducing conflict. Euthanasia of bears should only occur as a last resort.
The provincial government has not revealed the reason for this sudden increase in bears killed. AWA filed an Access to Information request in January, asking for more information on the Alberta Wildlife Management Responder Network. We received a partial release in April, containing no information on how problem bears were identified, what information hunters were provided, or if any other actions were attempted first to solve the problem.
We have requested that the release be reviewed, given that most of the information we asked for was not provided. However, the review is not expected to be completed until April 2027.
Background
The Wildlife Management Responder Network was first announced in July 2024 and promoted as a way to “protect Albertans’ lives and livelihoods.” In the corresponding Alberta News announcement, the province estimated over 1,150 bears in Alberta, despite no current population count available.
AWA wrote to the Alberta Minister of Forestry and Parks, Todd Loewen, expressing our concerns with the changes and asking for information on the grizzly bear population estimates provided. In a response, the Minister promised, “Actions taken by responders will align with all existing policies related to wildlife management.”
The Recovery Plan calls for Provincial Carnivore Specialists to help reduce human-caused grizzly bear mortality, in part through reducing conflicts. However, the province’s only Human-Wildlife Conflict Specialist retired in 2022, and this position is yet to be replaced. The province has not indicated any interest in hiring more conflict specialists or funding projects to reduce human-caused bear mortality.
AWA has reached out to provincial biologists, as well as filed the aforementioned Access to Information request asking for information on the Wildlife Management Responder Network. In addition, AWA has sent two open letters, sharing our concerns about recent wildlife management policies and requesting more transparent and science-based wildlife management policies.
The province has stated that an average of 11 bears were removed in 2021 to 2025. However, while this is true according to recently released the 2020–2025 Grizzly Bear Mortality Rates in Alberta, the average number of bears euthanized was inflated due to an abnormal year (2024), which saw 21 agency removals. In the other years, the average number of agency removals was eight or nine, already an increase from the average of four bears per year removed prior to 2022. Contrary to the Minister’s comments in 2024, the number of grizzly bears euthanized has always been lower than 20 per year.
For more information: Ruiping Luo, 403-283-2025, rluo@abwild.ca