It’s a grizzly situation

Edmonton Sun
September 2, 2009

Re: “Alberta mulls ban on grizzly hunt,” (Sun, Aug. 29). It is mystifying Alberta is actually considering lifting the ban on the trophy hunt given the paucity of grizzlies in Alberta. For the last five years the Alberta government has funded DNA population research on grizzlies to the tune of $2 million. The findings show that Alberta has less than 500 grizzly bears left. In an interview with the Lethbridge Herald almost one year ago, Calgary-based wildlife scientist Dr. Brian Horejsi was not caught unawares by the latest population figures from Alberta’s grizzly bear recovery team. “These numbers don’t surprise me at all,” Horejsi said. “I have been watching bear habitat, bears and the absolutely fraudulent antics of this government for pretty close to 40 years. And so I am not at all surprised. I have been saying that there may be as low as 400 bears and perhaps as many as 500 since 1990. It was evident to any trained observer who was independent of either special interests or government that there was something seriously awry way back then.”

Chris Genovali
Raincoast Conservation

You can help

Raincoast’s in-house scientists, collaborating graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors make us unique among conservation groups. We work with First Nations, academic institutions, government, and other NGOs to build support and inform decisions that protect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and the wildlife that depend on them. We conduct ethically applied, process-oriented, and hypothesis-driven research that has immediate and relevant utility for conservation deliberations and the collective body of scientific knowledge.

We investigate to understand coastal species and processes. We inform by bringing science to decision-makers and communities. We inspire action to protect wildlife and wildlife habitats.