A team of scientists is researching grizzly bear habits, health, and habitat in the Yellowhead region of Alberta to support the province’s efforts to conserve grizzly bears.
The $1.4M grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), will support a combination of remote sensing, tracking technologies, and biological markers to investigate the environment, population performance, and health of the grizzly bear in west-central Alberta.
“Multi-disciplinary research projects are a prime example of the tremendous effect scientific collaboration can have on our understanding of the world,” said the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science. “Contributions like these illustrate the Government of Canada’s commitment to encouraging discovery-based research across Canadian science through the contributions of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.”
“A Grizzly Bear sighting in the Canadian wilderness is awe inspiring and draws millions of visitors to mountain national parks each year. Through research initiatives like this, Canada remains at the leading edge of bear management and conservation. With enhanced opportunities for Canadians to experience the natural wonders of their national parks, we are helping to inspire an appreciation for nature, and build a community of stewards for these protected lands,” stated Jim Eglinski, MP for Yellowhead.
“I am pleased that NSERC is supporting this research initiative, which seeks to ensure that such an important species as grizzly bears continue to thrive,” said Bettina Hamelin, Vice-President, Research Partnerships, at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. “I note the commitment of a dozen industrial partners, and the emphasis on both the training of our next generation of researchers and the delivery of new knowledge that will assist conservation efforts in western Canada.”
The research program will conduct studies in forestry, ecology, geography, and biology, and will involve thirteen graduate students and post-doctoral researchers.
Contacts:
Nicholas Coops, Assiciate Dean, Research and Innovation
University of British Columbia
604-822-6452
nicholas.coops@ubc.ca
Gordon Stenhouse, Program Lead
Grizzly Bear Program
fRI Research
780-865-8388
gstenhouse@friresearch.ca
5 Research Collaborators
Nicholas Coops
University of British Columbia
Specialty: Remote Sensing
Gordon Stenhouse
fRI Research
Specialty: grizzly bear biology
Scott Nielsen
University of Alberta
Specialty: ecology
David Janz
University of Saskatchewan
Specialty: conservation physiology
University of Victoria
Specialty: conservation
12 Industry Partners
Canfor ◦ Conoco-Phillips ◦ FRIAA ◦ Seven Generations Energy
Shell Canada ◦ Repsol ◦ Teck Coal ◦ TransCanada Pipelines
West Fraser Ltd. ◦ Westmoreland Coal ◦ Weyerhauser
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