Alberta West News: Grizzly Bears coming back on the Prairies

Monday, November 3, 2025

Grizzly Bears coming back on the Prairies

Grizzly bears are reappearing on Alberta’s prairies after more than a century of near absence, with verified sightings and evidence of dens being reported notably farther east and into territories considered “prairie” rather than foothill or mountain environments. This resurgence comes after decades of recovery efforts, changes in wildlife management, and population growth in the core bear ranges.ctvnews+1

Recent Expansion and Sightings

Since the 2000s, the population of grizzly bears in Alberta has grown significantly due to recovery programs; numbers have reportedly increased from about 800 to over 1,150 bears.news.yahoo
Grizzlies are increasingly being sighted in traditional prairie ranching areas such as near Twin Butte, and even east and north of their previously known range.cbc+1
Most sighted bears originate from the foothills and mountains, often returning there to den, but there is growing evidence of them ranging—and occasionally denning—on wetter or brushy prairie landscapes.biosphereinstitute+1

Drivers of the Return

Success of grizzly bear recovery programs, first implemented broadly in 2008, has increased the core population, prompting migration into historic ranges.ctvnews
Human settlement, agricultural expansion, and past persecution drove grizzlies out of most prairie zones by the early 20th century, with the prairie population officially declared extirpated (‘locally extinct’) in 1991. The new expansion signals reversing trends, although mainly as individual occurrences, not yet a fully established prairie population.registrelep-sararegistry+1

Challenges and Uncertainty

While sightings have increased, it’s debated whether this represents genuine recolonization or bears being pushed out of better habitat by population pressure, human development, and tourism in the mountains.ctvnews
Prairie habitats still pose challenges for supporting a viable, breeding grizzly population—large, relatively secure tracts with little human-caused mortality are needed for long-term survival.canada+1
The Alberta Wilderness Association and researchers note that the rising grizzly numbers also bring rising conflicts with people and livestock, resulting in both new management pressures and a controversial reintroduction of limited grizzly bear hunting to control “problem bears”.naturealberta+2

Broader Ecological and Social Context

Historical and recent accounts agree that grizzlies were once common across the prairies before European settlement, but after 1900 most were confined to the Rocky foothills and some remaining wild prairie fragments.ctvnews+1
The return is part of a larger pattern seen in parts of Montana and Saskatchewan, with occasional females and young bears venturing into prairie zones, but with most returning to den elsewhere.registrelep-sararegistry+1
Landowners and agencies are increasingly focused on “Bear Smart” coexistence strategies, while monitoring for safety, livestock losses, and the ecological implications of this shift.news.yahoo+1

Grizzly bears are indeed pushing onto the Canadian prairies again, especially in Alberta, but their ability to permanently recolonize and thrive in true grassland habitats is still uncertain, and presents challenges for both wildlife managers and rural communities.cbc+2

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