Alberta records highest number of human-caused grizzly deaths in 2024

Alberta’s government released mortality data indicating that 40 grizzly bears died as a result of human activity in 2024, setting a new record for the province. Of those, 21 were classified as agency removals carried out by Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services, conservation officers or other law-enforcement personnel, marking the first year where more than half of the deaths were agency-initiated. The rise follows a 2023 update to the province’s grizzly response guide, which lowered the threshold for lethal action against male bears deemed habituated or food-conditioned, prompting a retired officer to describe the policy as a “hit list” for males.

Four bears were eliminated through the province’s problem-wildlife program, while vehicle collisions and poaching also contributed to the total. The ministry noted that yearly fluctuations in bear-human conflicts are influenced by local bear populations, food availability, environmental conditions and attractants such as livestock or garbage. In 2025 the death count fell to 18, including six agency removals, suggesting a possible effect of the previous year’s removals and other variables.