EDMONTON – According to new statistics, more grizzlies are dying at the hands of humans in Alberta.
A provincial report shows that of the roughly 700 grizzlies in Alberta, 31 died in 2013; one-third of those deaths were a result of poachers. It’s a number that Alberta hasn’t seen in the past decade.
“It’s definitely of note and we are looking into it further and we have to find out exactly why that’s happening,” said Carrie Sancartie with Alberta Environment & Sustainable Resource Development.
She admits it may just be an increase in reported incidents. But even if that’s the case, Sean Nichols from the Alberta Wildness Association in Calgary believes a problem still remains.
“To have the bears dying out, that says something about what the forests are like, and what our wild lands are like,” he said.
He would like to see the bears better protected, and is calling for more Fish and Wildlife Officers to curb poaching.
READ MORE: Alberta hunting group says government should double number of wildlife officers
Nichols would also like to see less development in bear habitat.
“That’s everything from forestry and oil and gas development, that’s highways, that’s just people being in there in general.”
The province agrees with such restrictions, in principle. Its current bear recovery plan suggests development limits, but conservationists say those recommendations are not being adequately followed or enforced.
A new plan is in the works, though.
“We’re going through the process of working on that right now – working with stakeholders,” said Sancartie. “Too early to speculate on what that might look like but, definitely, work is being done.”
Conservationists hope it will be enough to save Alberta’s iconic species.
Over the last decade, the province has learned about 186 grizzly bears deaths. Of those, 165 were caused by humans in some way.
With files from Fletcher Kent, Global News
Comments