In Alberta British Columbia, Canada In 2013, a total of 31 grizzly bears were found dead(out of a maximum projected 700 animals) — the highest number since the legal grizzly bear hunt was suspended in 2006.............. Most of those bears were killed by poachers, motorists and landowners, leading some to suggest the current recovery strategy isn’t working...............Recent research has shown that roads and trails criss-crossing grizzly bear habitat in Alberta are leading to higher death rates, particularly for mother bears and their cubs

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/calgary/
Alberta+budget+protect+grizzly+bears+gets+
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lberta’s budget to protect 

grizzly bears gets big boost

BY COLETTE DERWORIZ, CALGARY HERALD APRIL 18, 2014

• STORY
• PHOTOS ( 2 )

This female grizzly bear was one of three research

 bears killed by poachers in Alberta in 2013. A total

 of 31 bears died in the province — the highest

 number in a decade.

Photograph by: Photo courtesy: Foothills

 Research Institute

As Alberta rewrites its grizzly bear recovery strategy, it
 has increased the budget of its management plan for
 the threatened species to better study population trends
 and reduce ongoing conflicts with landowners.

Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource
 Development has hiked the budget by 65 per cent
to $1.16 million, up from last year’s $700,000.

“For this year’s budget, we are adding significant
 funds to our program for DNA population and trend
 surveys,” Carrie Sancartier, a spokeswoman for the
 department, said in an email. “We are also providing
 more grants for community and agriculture BearSmart
programs.”

Alberta, British Columbia(in green)

Conservationists said any increase for grizzly bear
 management is a positive step.“Hopefully that will
make a difference that we haven’t seen in the current
 recovery plan,” said Katie Morrison, conservation
 director with the southern Alberta chapter of the
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS).
She added that money for conflict prevention is
extremely important.The funding increase comes
 after a particularly bad year for grizzly bears in Alberta.

In 2013, a total of 31 grizzly bears were found dead
 — the highest number since the legal grizzly bear
 hunt was suspended in 2006. Most of those bears
 were killed by poachers, motorists and landowners,
leading some to suggest the current recovery strategy
 isn’t working.

Grizzly bears were listed as threatened in the province
 in 2010 after it was determined there were only about
 700 left in Alberta.

The numbers led to the suspension of the hunt and a
 recovery strategy aimed at reducing conflicts between
 bears and people, improving knowledge about the
animals and decreasing human-caused mortality.

It expired on April 1.

Sancartier said the 2008-2013 plan will continue to
guide the provincial management practices until the
updated strategy is approved.

In a meantime, she said officials continue to work with
 stakeholders to get input on how the plan is working
and what could be improved.

Morrison, who was involved in a consultation session
 earlier this month, said CPAWS would like to see the
 province address road densities as part of the
updated strategy.

Recent research has shown that roads and trails
 criss-crossing grizzly bear habitat in Alberta are
 leading to higher death rates, particularly for mother
 bears and their cubs.Sancartier has said all of the
input is being considered as the province updates
 the recovery strategy.

“That work is ongoing,” she said, noting all Albertans
will also have an opportunity to comment on the
 updated plan once it is released in draft form later
 this spring or early this summer.

cderworiz@calgaryherald.com