Action Alert: Alberta's Threatened Grizzly Bear Needs Protection NOW!
2010-02-23
Alberta’s grizzly bear is a threatened species that needs special protection. In 2002, Alberta’s Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC), representing scientists, universities, First Nations, industries, hunters, conservationists and ranchers, recommended that the grizzly bear be listed as a Threatened species under Alberta’s Wildlife Act. Unfortunately, the government so far has failed to implement this recommendation and Alberta’s grizzlies continue to suffer from a wide array of threats.
Rather than taking action to protect bears, the province has embarked on a further status review and, eight years later, it will ask the ESCC once again to re-examine whether the grizzly bear should be listed as a protected species. Barring any government delays, we expect the status review to be complete in a few weeks time.
Once the status review is complete it will be up to Mel Knight, the newly appointed Minister of Sustainable Resource Development, to decide if the grizzly bear will be listed as Threatened and given legal protection. Help Minister Knight make the right decision!
In the eight years since the original recommendation to protect the bears under the Wildlife Act, grizzly habitat has continued to be lost or damaged due to industrial and residential development and motorized backcountry access. At roughly 600 bears, Alberta’s grizzly population remains far below provincially and internationally recognized thresholds. The IUCN, an international organization of government and non-government members with expertise in endangered species recovery, identifies 1000 adults (which generally means 2000 animals in total) as a healthy population, beneath which a threatened or endangered listing is necessary.
The government must act NOW to recover this iconic species. Leading up to Minister Knight’s decision, it is crucial that we demonstrate strong public support for government action on grizzly bear recovery, including legal listing and habitat protection.
Please take a moment to contact Sustainable Resource Development Minister Mel Knight. Let him know you fully support grizzly bear recovery and stress the importance of:
• Listing the grizzly bear as Threatened under the Alberta Wildlife Act
• Changing land use practices to maintain an adequate amount of habitat where bears are secure from industrial and motorized intrusion, including: legislated protection of critical habitat; reducing roads, seismic lines, pipelines and other linear features; and enforcing access restrictions for motorized vehicle access.
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