Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Grizzly-PAW: Grizzly Population Assessment in yelloWhead*Northwest North America is home to the world's remaining grizzly bears (Ursus arctos). Grizzly bears are considered a threatened species in Alberta and as a result a considerable amount of research has taken place on conservation strategies to inform policy makers and management activities in the region. From a management perspective there is much uncertainty about current population levels and how anthropogenic landscape change and human activities have affected grizzly bears in Alberta in the past and into the future. Extensive research has been conducted in the Yellowhead BMA with the first grizzly bear population unit inventory undertaken on provincial lands here in 2004 with the population estimated at 42 bears, lower than previously thought. The area continues to be a key focus of grizzly bear research due to its ongoing industrial and human activity including forest harvesting, oil and gas development and exploration, and coal mining and expansions. Our industry partners wish to better understand how changes in road density and landscape conditions are changing the habitat selection, health and mortality of grizzly bears in the region towards development of long term conservations strategies and target for the species.