Grizzly bears are now listed as a threatened species in Alberta following a surprise announcement last week by the provincial government.

Minister of Sustainable Development Mel Knight made the announcement following a caucus meeting on June 3, however some conservationists are taking a wait and see approach, as the listing does not rule out a return to grizzly bear hunting in the province, nor does it increase funding for grizzly bear recovery.

“The government will recognize grizzly bears as threatened in Alberta,” said Minister Knight. “This recognition is based on sound scientific data.”

“We are committed to having grizzly bears on the landscape.”

There are an estimated 692 grizzly bears living in Alberta, based on DNA data. The move follows a recommendation from the province’s endangered species committee, which originally called for grizzly bears to be listed as threatened in 2002.

Minister Knight told the Fitzhugh the biggest advantage of listing grizzlies as threatened is the message it sends throughout the province. By spreading the message about the need to protect the bears, more animals will be able to live on the landscape.

While there have been pressure for grizzlies to be listed as threatened since 2002, Minister Knight said the province didn’t have the data required to do so until now.

Wendy Francis, director of conservation with the The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative praised the move, as many environmentalists have been working for more than 25 years to get the bears listed.

“We want to thank the Alberta government. It’s the right step to take,” Francis said. 

However she also called the move symbolic, as the listing changes very little on the ground.

“There’s nothing in the law that says the consequences of listing a species as threatened,” Francis said.

CPAWS conservationist Sarah Elmeligi also praised the government for the move. She, along with representatives from five other environmental groups, issued a report two weeks ago pressuring the government to strengthen its grizzly bear policy.

“Listing as threatened sends a strong message that grizzly bears are in trouble and the Alberta government is taking efforts to change that,” Elmeligi said.

She said it has been difficult to determine how much money the provincial government is spending directly on grizzly bears, as their funds cover several species in the province.

Minister Knight said he’s open to continue work with the scientific community and take a look at population targets. While Elmeligi said she wants to see 2,000 grizzlies in Alberta, Minister Knight said data suggests 1,000 grizzly bears is a safe target.

There is no new money following the announcement. Minister Knight says about a million dollars is spent annually on grizzly bear conservation. That includes about $450,000 on a provincial bearsmart program (which will expand to Hinton and area and seven other communities), bear aversion using Karelian bear dogs and intercept feeding. Another $120,000 is spent on access management, focusing on roads and railway. Another $100,000 goes toward a carnivore specialist at the Foothills Research Institute. These ongoing projects are part of the grizzly bear recovery plan, however many environmentalists state it’s not enough. By comparison, Ontario spends $4.5 million annually on its bear program.

The Bearsmart program will be expanded to eight communities across the province in an effort to educate the public about living with wildlife.

“Education is an important tool to mitigating mortality in the province,” Minister Knight said.

Access management, which studies roads and railways through grizzly bear habitat will play a key role in restoring grizzly bears, as roads are identified as the number one killer of grizzly bears. Minister Knight said there needs to be more information about access management, while logging and mining companies will co-operate with the recovery plan.

Minister Knight also stressed listing grizzly bears does not put an end to hunting bears in the province. He also noted public safety is paramount when dealing with grizzly bears.

The province has had a grizzly bear recovery strategy since 2002, which is expected to run until 2013.

Minister Knight said grizzly bears will be examined in various management areas to determine their health. While their habitat used to extend across the province, most Alberta grizzly bears have been pushed into the Rockies. According to Stenhouse’s data, grizzly bear numbers are steady in some areas of the province, such as near Grande Cache, however suffering in other locations, such as the Bow Valley.

Grizzly bear recovery has been accomplished in the past. In Yellowstone National Park, the number of grizzly bears has recently climbed to 600 from a low of 200.