A female grizzly was found dead west of Edson, and the person or party responsible could face a hefty fine.
Fish and wildlife officers made the discovery on Saturday around 10:30 a.m. after receiving a public complaint the bear was found shot and left for dead just off of Swanson Road.
In a post on Facebook, Alberta Fish and Wildlife said the bear was shot with a high-powered rifle and the incident occurred between the evening of Oct. 8 and the morning of Oct. 9.
The grizzly bear was known to frequent the area and had two cubs.
Due to the cubs’ approximate age of two, officers say they will be left alone because cubs that age typically have the instincts needed to survive on their own.
“In Alberta, grizzly bears are considered a threatened species and hunting them is illegal,” the post stated.
“The maximum penalty for this offence is a fine of $100,000 and/or two years in jail.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the report a poacher line at 1-800-642-3800.
Edson is 192 kilometres west of Edmonton.