In 2002, grizzly bear biologists were panicked after it was revealed there were fewer than 1,000 grizzly bears in the province. Pressure to put the bears – long time symbols of the Canadian West – onto the endangered species list, and for the provincial government to take immediate action to prevent the disappearance of grizzly bears increased. Grizzly habitat was being sucked up by oil and lumber development, and stories of bears killed by trains and cars took on a more dire tone.

The province responded by putting a stop to the grizzly bear hunt, much to the chagrin of hunting groups.

Last week, the final piece of an intensive, DNA-based grizzly bear study – the Grizzly Bear DNA Population Estimate Report - was released. Combining information ranging across the province in which individual grizzly bear DNA was collected, there are an estimated 581 bears living in Alberta. Of that number, more than 300 live between Jasper and Grande Prairie – an area that also includes the Wilmore wilderness area. The science is considered to be some of the best in the world in regards to grizzly bears, and the efforts of several biologists – namely Hinton’s own Gordon Stenhouse of the Foothills Research Institute – have been applauded in scientific communities.

So if alarm bells were ringing when there was only 1,000 bears, full scale emergency plans should be swinging into action now that the number has nearly been halved in a mere five years.

Thus far, the provincial government’s response has been underwhelming. Sustainable Resource Development minister Ted Morton continues to take a wait-and-see approach in regards to grizzly bear protection, as the province isn’t expected to take action until the new year. There is no word on the hunting ban, no word on efforts to reduce habitat disappearance and very little presence for the Bearsmart program, which is designed to educate the public about living with wildlife. On top of habitat protection, public awareness is key to ensuring the continued presence of grizzly bears in Alberta.

Jasper has always lived with grizzly bears, and many come to the park just for the chance to catch a glimpse of a bear. Protected land and a healthy respect for the animals has helped ensure bears in the park are much better off than their cousins to the east. Now that the information has been collected, it is time for SRD to develop a strong management plan with the teeth to ensure that in 10 years, time discussion on how to save the last 100 bears doesn’t have to occur.

Call for columnists

The Fitzhugh is looking for a few good columnists.

If you are interested in writing a column in the paper – perhaps once every two months – on topics relevant to our readers, we want to hear from you. We’re looking for a cross section of opinions from all facets of the Jasper, Hinton and Valemount communities. Be it well-argued essays or a knack for telling compelling stories, interested writers should email Justin Brisbane at editor@fitzhugh.ca. A brief writing sample or idea of your area of expertise is appreciated.

Have your say in the pages of The Fitzhugh.