Grizzly Bear Monitoring Project
Non-invasive population monitoring in Bear Management Areas 3 and 4.
Previous population inventories conducted by the Grizzly Bear Program and other groups have given encouraging population signs in some Bear Management Areas. This project will build on 23 years of data from the Grizzly Bear Program to support forest management and provincial recovery efforts for this species.
Topics
- Monitor survival, productivity and health of grizzly bear populations using targeted non-invasive genetic sampling and existing predictive habitat models
- Monitor habitat occupancy with changing landscape conditions and climate
- Monitor possible range expansion (eastern edges of BMAs) and determine landscape connectivity patterns that are supporting this
- Investigate new inventory techniques
Spring 2023
Project Begins
Staff hired and trained; fieldwork protocol developed.
July 2023
Fieldwork begins
The crew begin setting up hair snag sites and collecting habitat data in BMA 3.
November 2023
Field Season 1 Complete
Nearly 300 grizzly bear hair samples and over 50,000 trail camera photos and videos collected.
December 2023
Hair Sent to Lab
Grizzly bear hair sorted and selected for DNA analysis.
Trail camera footage of grizzly bears and other animals visiting our 2023 hair snag sites.
6 intrepid field techs, 6 fun facts, 6 song (and podcast) recommendations.
3 amazing biologists join the team.
Applications are now closed. Thank you to all who applied!
This position is now closed.
Grizzly bear hair is incredibly useful for conservation science, but how do we collect it in a way that is safe for us and the bear?
A team of four earn their nicknames in the foothills south of Hinton.
Darío has studied many species, on many continents, making contributions to many questions along the way.
We are hiring a Grizzly Bear Monitoring Project Lead. This is a 5-year position and this opportunity will remain open until a candidate is selected.
The Grizzly Bear Monitoring project is hiring four field technicians for summer 2023 field work. Application closing date: Feb 28, 2023.
Gord Stenhouse
Program Lead
Dr. Darío Fernández-Bellon
Program Lead
Cameron McClelland
Senior Biologist