Estimated Population Status of Grizzly Bears in Alberta

After five years of study,Alberta now has its most complete estimates of the province’s grizzly bear population. This new population data, along with other information on populations, habitat and behaviour, will be used in an independent scientific review of the grizzly bear status in Alberta, scheduled to be completed in 2010.

The most recent component of the five-year study was conducted in 2008 from south of Grande Prairie to Highway 16, covering almost 20,000 square kilometres. This study area included extensive public land, Willmore Wilderness and Kakwa Wildland Parks and some ofJasperNational Park. The estimated density is 18 bears per 1,000 square kilometres, for a total of 353 grizzly bears. Along with results from the first four DNA studies, there are an estimated 581 grizzly bears from just south of Grande Prairie to the Montana border. This estimate does not include most of Jasper andBanffNational Parks, the Swan Hills area and northwestern Alberta, including the Chinchaga area.

To read the full report from Alberta Sustainable Resource Development click here.