Clarifying Common Misconceptions
The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) is the second largest land mammal in North America, with the largest being polar bears. They are classified as an apex predator due to their position at the top of the food chain and as a keystone species due to their required presence for healthy, balanced, and functioning ecosystems¹. Grizzly bears are generally a solitary species, except in the case of moms with cubs and at communal eating areas such as salmon runs². To communicate, grizzly bears use vocalizations, such as growls, moans, and grunts as well as rub trees, which are trees that generations of bears repeatedly rub, scratch, and inform other bears of its presence³.
Male grizzlies in Alberta weigh between 150 - 300 kg (330 - 660 lbs) and female grizzlies weigh between 80 - 150 kg (175 - 330 lbs)⁴. Grizzly bear fur colour can range in colour from jet black to light blond, but is typically brown⁴. Many grizzly bears have natural highlights, such as frosted tips on their hair giving them a ‘grizzled’ look⁴. Grizzly bears have a very prominent muscle mass over their shoulders that creates a noticeable hump. Grizzly bear ears are short, round, and set well apart and their heads are large and round with a dished or concave face⁴. Grizzly bear claws vary in colour from white to dark with light streaks⁴. The claws are long and curved (5 - 10 cm) and used for digging for roots, insects, and prey⁴. A grizzly bear has an excellent sense of smell as well as good eyesight and hearing³.
Grizzly bears are classified as habitat generalists as they occupy habitats as diverse as temperate coastal rain forests and semi-desert Arctic tundra⁵. A grizzly bear habitat is strongly influenced by available vegetation, availability of denning sites, the presence of cover or shelter, access to mates, and isolation from human disturbance³ ⁵. As a result, they can be found from sea level to high elevation alpine environments⁵.
Despite being classified as carnivores, grizzly bears have an omnivorous diet and many are primarily herbivorous³. In some areas, however, grizzlies are effective predators of moose and caribou and coastal populations feed heavily on spawning salmon⁶. In general, berries are essential for fat deposits necessary for the winter denning season³. Favourite berries of bears are buffaloberries, crowberries, bearberries, currant berries, blueberries, and huckleberries³.
Grizzly bear territories range from 200 - 500 km² for females and 1,000 - 2,000 km² for males³. The size of the territories depend on the individual bear, habitat quality, presence or absence of human activity, and social interactions with other bears³. These territories may also overlap with other bears and are not aggressively defended³. Female offspring often establish a home range in the vicinity of their mother while males usually disperse far away³.
There are two recognized populations of grizzly bear in Canada: the Prairie population and the Northwestern population⁵. The Prairie population was once located in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba but disappeared in the region in the 1880s due to human intolerance, market hunting, rapid conversion of habitat to agricultural fields, and loss of key prey (buffalo)³ ⁵. The Prairie population has been listed as extirpated since 1991⁵.
The Northwestern grizzly bear population is located in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, British Columbia, and Alberta⁵. The Northwestern population, which is estimated to be 20,000, has been listed as a species of Special Concern since 1991⁵. Despite this designation, grizzly bears have no federal protections under the Species at Risk Act⁷. The Northwestern grizzly bear is listed a species of Special Concern due to characteristics that make it particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events and future populations dependent highly on conservation efforts⁵. Furthermore, grizzly bear habitat is at risk from expanding industrial, residential, and recreational developments⁵. Due to low reproduction rates, grizzly bear populations are also sensitive to human-caused mortality including hunting, poaching, accidents and nuisance kills⁵. Its behavior also frequently brings it into conflict with people, leading to increased mortality where human activities expand⁵.
In 2010, Alberta classified grizzly bears as ‘Threatened’, largely due to a low population size resulting from human caused mortality rates and questionable habitat quality⁷. Grizzly bears are classified as ‘Vulnerable Uncertain’ in British Columbia⁸. Current population estimates in Alberta are 873-965 and 15,000 in British Columbia⁹ ¹⁰.
Grizzly bears have one of the lowest known reproductive rates of all North American land mammals due to female grizzly bears reproducing later in their life, small litter sizes, and long inter-birth (between litter) intervals³ ¹¹. A female grizzly first reproduces between the ages of 5 to 8 years and produces young every 3 to 5 years afterward³. There are usually no more than 4 or 5 litters in a female grizzly bear’s lifetime¹⁶. A typical litter is twins, but can range between 1 to 4 cubs in size¹³.
Bears can be seen anywhere in many parts of Alberta, including the Peace region in northern Alberta, the Swan Hills, and from Grande Prairie south to Waterton along the Rocky Mountain eastern front out into the foothills regions. Below are coexistence strategies that you can use at home or on the trails to respect and live in harmony with bears in their natural habitats. Please note that this list of strategies does not replace expert consultation.
The best coexistence strategy is to avoid an encounter from ever occurring¹. To coexist with bears on the trails and in the backcountry¹:
Bears can be attracted to roadways for a variety of reasons including but not limited to the presence of food sources, such as dandelions; human habituation; and, movement from one area to another. With the growing number of visitors to Canada’s national parks and wild places, it is important to put wildlife first, especially on roadways where wildlife mortality rates are high. Strategies you should implement while on the roads to keep wildlife safe are¹:
If you come across a bear that is not aware of your presence, move away quietly and leave the area immediately¹. How you respond to a bear encounter when the bear is aware of you depends on if the encounter is defensive or non-defensive in nature¹.
A defensive encounter can occur if you catch a bear off-guard, come near its cubs, or the bear is feeding. In a defensive encounter, the bear feels threatened by you and may vocalize (woofing and growling) and appear stressed and agitated (snapping their jaws and laying their ears back)¹. The bear may bluff its way out of an encounter with you by charging towards you and turning away at the last second¹.
If a defensive grizzly bear encounter occurs¹:
A non-defensive encounter occurs if the bear is being curious and testing its dominance¹. A non-defensive bear will be focused on you with its head and ears up¹. If a non-defensive grizzly bear encounter occurs¹:
Below are strategies that you can use to reduce bear-livestock conflicts¹. Please note that this list of strategies does not replace expert consultation.
