Alberta authorities are currently investigating a series of incidents involving the illegal killing of grizzly bears in the region. According to reports from the province, four grizzly bears were unlawfully shot at three different locations, prompting an inquiry by Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services.
The first incident occurred on September 30, where a deceased grizzly bear was discovered by the roadside approximately 20 kilometers north of Swan Hills, situated northwest of Edmonton. The following day, on October 1, another grizzly bear was found lifeless in a secluded area between Little Smoky and Fox Creek, with all four paws removed.
These incidents follow previous cases in June, where two grizzly bears were also shot dead along a road near Sundre, about 95 kilometers northwest of Calgary. Additionally, in March of the same year, the province sought public assistance in an investigation after a grizzly bear was found dead from a gunshot wound in November 2025.
The province emphasized the seriousness of these illegal activities, highlighting that hunting grizzly bears has been prohibited in Alberta since 2006, except for Indigenous hunters engaging in subsistence or cultural harvests. Authorities urge anyone with information on these poaching incidents or other wildlife offenses to contact the Report-A-Poacher line or submit reports online on the official Alberta government website.
Gordon Stenhouse, a prominent biologist specializing in grizzly bear research in Alberta, expressed disappointment at the recent poaching incidents, emphasizing the disrespect shown towards wildlife. Stenhouse suggested that the number of discovered poached bears likely represents only a fraction of the actual occurrences, indicating a potentially more significant issue at hand.
University of Alberta ecology professor Mark Boyce noted the existence of a black market for grizzly bear parts and highlighted the illegal nature of poaching, which stems from various motivations, including fear or animosity towards the bears. Bear safety expert Kim Titchener emphasized the need for better coexistence strategies between humans and bears, advocating for proactive measures such as electric fencing and bear-resistant containers to mitigate conflicts rather than resorting to lethal methods.
The Alberta government continues to address human-caused grizzly bear mortality, with documented cases of illegal killings accounting for approximately 17% of grizzly bear deaths from 2020 to 2025. Efforts such as the BearSmart program aim to minimize human-wildlife conflicts and protect the vulnerable grizzly bear population in Alberta, estimated at around 1,000 individuals presently.
