Granting rural municipalities' wish to renew a grizzly bear hunt would potentially put iconic bruins like Banff National Park's 'The Boss' in the crosshairs, say conservationists.
Background of the Grizzly Bear Hunt Ban
Sport hunting of grizzly bears ended in 2006 over concerns about the population's sustainability. The animal was listed as a threatened species in 2010, a designation that sits at the middle of a scale with endangered being the most urgent and vulnerable being the least. In 2008, a grizzly bear recovery plan was implemented by the province, aiming to restore habitat, reduce human-animal confrontation, and lower bear mortality.
Renewed Calls for Hunting
Due to increased attacks on humans and livestock in some parts of the province, particularly the extreme southwest, a majority of the 69-member Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) passed a resolution in March advocating for a regulated grizzly hunt administered through a draw system. The group proposes that the number of available tags each year be determined by factors including population data, conflict trends, and previous season results, to help maintain an appropriate and sustainable bear population.
The resolution also calls for the province to end its grizzly bear recovery strategy and instead create a plan to manage the grizzly bear population.
Risk to Iconic Bears
That could put into the breech prominent grizzlies like 'The Boss' and 'Split Lip,' who normally reside in Banff National Park, should they wander outside its boundaries, which has happened in the past, said John Marriott, chair of the Exposed Wildlife Conservancy. Such animals would make much-sought trophies for hunters operating just outside Banff National Park, he added.
“If someone found out The Boss was moving into the Canmore area, where you can hunt by bow inside Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park, if he was out at Harvie Heights, he could be hunted by bow,” said Marriott.
A bear conflict reduction expert agreed. “Thankfully, (The Boss) lives where he lives but yet he and any bear in our parks and protected areas are not protected the second they walk over that line,” said Kim Titchener, who operates Bear Safety and More.
Government Response
Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen acknowledged the possibility of prominent bruins being shot by hunters outside park boundaries but said it is not likely. “Anything is possible as far as that's concerned but realistically, some of those bears living in the parks have territory that they protect, they do the breeding in that area,” he said.
Despite concerns raised by the RMA having merit, Loewen stated that the province has no plans for now to fully end the 20-year moratorium on grizzly bear hunting. “We do pay attention to things the RMA brings forward…we know that those concerns are valid and we respect those concerns,” he said. “I read their motion — they do want to make sure there's an appropriate and sustainable bear population.”
Conservationist Concerns
Conservationists argue that resuming the hunt could undermine decades of recovery efforts and threaten the survival of bears that have become symbols of the Canadian Rockies. They emphasize that bears like 'The Boss' are valuable for tourism and ecosystem health, and that alternative measures such as non-lethal conflict prevention should be prioritized.
