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Grizzly bears
Background
What is the morphology and life history of grizzly bears?
Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are large, muscular mammals with distinct shoulder humps and long claws. Males weigh anywhere between 190 kg and 322 kg, with females between 100 kg and 225 kg (COSEWIC, 2012). Their color varies from brown, black, to blonde, with the former being the most common (iNaturalist, n.d.)
They are found mainly in western Canada, across British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut (Nature Conservancy of Canada, n.d.).
Despite popular belief, grizzly bears are omnivorous, with over 80% of its diet being plant-based. Grizzly bears eat grasses, berries, nuts, salmon and small mammals. They shape ecosystem dynamics by seed dispersal and carcass consumption and compete with wolves, cougars, and black bears (Canadian Geographic, n.d.).
This species is valued in Indigenous cultures for its spiritual significance, is used to promote ecotourism, and is often the focus of human-wildlife conflict management education.
What is the current conservation status of Grizzly bears?
The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and the Species at Risk Act (SARA) list grizzlies as “Special Concern” nationwide. Provincially, Alberta lists them as “Threatened,” British Columbia and the Northwest Territories designate the species as special concern (Parks Canada, n.d.).
How many individuals are estimated to remain in the wild in Canada?
There are approximately 20,000 individuals estimated to be living nationwide (Parks Canada, n.d.). The last broad assessment was in 2018 during COSEWIC evaluations (Northwest Territories Species at Risk Committee, 2017). Provincial estimates vary, with roughly 700 in Alberta, 16,000 in British Columbia, and a few thousand in the territories (Parks Canada, n.d.).
Threats, Impacts, and Causes
How has the distribution and population of this species changed over the last two centuries?
Since the 1800s the global population of grizzly bears have declined by over 50%, including significant declines across much of North America (Mattson & Merrill, 2002). The species once occurred throughout much of the southwestern United States, along with parts of Mexico. Their southernmost range now occurs in fragmented populations close to the Canada - U.S. border. Over the past 20 years, it is estimated that the grizzly bear population has been stable, with potential small population losses in southern parts of their range, alongside potential range expansions in the north (COSEWIC, 2012).
What are the historic causes of the decline of this species/category?
Historically, grizzly bear populations have declined due to direct persecution by humans and habitat loss (McLellan et al., 2016). High human and road densities are associated with grizzly bear mortality, and population decline.
What are the primary threats facing this species today?
Throughout North America, habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict continue to pose the greatest threat to grizzly bears (COSEWIC, 2012).
How are the primary threats impacting the viability of the population?
As long-lived, large mammals, grizzly bears require large expanses of high quality habitat to meet their basic energetic needs (COSEWIC, 2012; Coogan et al. 2019). If their habitat is degraded they may be unable to survive. Because this species reproduces slowly, even low rates of human-caused mortality (e.g., via vehicle collisions) can result in significant population declines (Lamb et al., 2023).
Conservation Efforts
What conservation research has been conducted?
Long-term studies via Parks Canada have employed radio collars to study habitat use and road impacts. Wildsight monitoring in Elk Valley has studied mortality due to roads and conflicts. Provincial academic and agency research has examined reproduction rates and population trends (Wildsight, n.d.).
Are there conservation actions & laws in place to protect this species?
NGOs: Wildsight, EcoJustice, Pacific Wild, and the David Suzuki Foundation advocate for habitat corridors, reduced road density, and policy reform.
Community-led: Alberta and British Columbia implement “BearSmart” programs, which include electric fencing and bear‑aware education. Parks Canada uses bear‑proof bins and has extensive wildlife fencing and crossing structures in numerous National parks.
Indigenous-led: A Yukon conservation plan was co-developed with First Nations. The Ktunaxa-led protection of Jumbo Valley within the Qat'muk Indigenous Protected Area resulted in the establishment of the Indigenous Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA) (Wyss Campaign for Nature, 2020).
Have actions been effective in the recovery of Grizzly bears?
An Alberta hunting ban in 2006 and British Columbian hunting ban in 2017 have helped stabilize some sub-populations (Government of British Columbia, 2017). However, human-caused mortality, including roads and human conflict, still continue to destabilize this species. Alberta’s 2006 hunting ban was softened just last year without input from the public (Exposed Wildlife Conservancy, 2024).
Globally, grizzly re-introductions, like that at Yellowstone National Park, (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2017) show that focused interventions with habitat protection, species reintroduction, and traffic mitigation can re-establish viable populations. Unfortunately, efforts such as British Columbia’s 1995 strategy have under-performed compared to U.S. recovery successes (Gailus, 2014).
Future and Potential Solutions
What would a successful recovery for this species look like?
In Canada, recovery of threatened grizzly bear subpopulations would include habitat protection and restoration, while also limiting the incidence of human-caused mortality (COSEWIC, 2012). For example, threatened subpopulations of grizzly bears that live in areas along the continental divide have benefited from numerous conservation measures (Lamb et al., 2018) . These include wildlife fencing, crossing structures, and programs to secure attractants like garbage. Collectively, these measures aim to reduce bear-human conflict and human-caused bear mortality.
What immediate actions can people take to support this species' conservation?
If living or recreating in grizzly bear territory, people should ensure they secure attractants (e.g., garbage), exercise bear safety awareness, and minimize time spent in sensitive habitat. All these personal actions can all help support the conservation and stewardship of this iconic species.
How can sustainable practices help protect this species?
Grizzly bears require large tracts of uninterrupted habitat to persist. For this reason, most Canadians likely won’t encounter a grizzly bear in their day-to-day life. If conducted appropriately, however, ecotourism can offer Canadians the opportunity to view grizzly bears safely, while still minimizing the chance of human-wildlife conflict (Field et al., 2025).
What role can education and awareness play in changing the public perception and treatment of this species?
Education and awareness campaigns have already played a large role in shaping the public’s perception of grizzly bears and associated risk. Once persecuted and extensively killed for human and livestock safety, grizzly bear coexistence strategies have been adopted by many communities in western North America (Coogan et al., 2019; Lamb et al., 2018).
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