Beyond the scope of Alberta’s Grizzly Bear Recovery project, Canada’s National Park system within Alberta (Waterton Lakes National Park, Banff National Park and Jasper National Park) may become the last bastion of our beleaguered bruins. Some even hope the mountain Parks will offer a protected safe haven that will eventually allow the grizzly bear time to regroup reestablishing themselves on the eastern slopes and foothills of the rockies and northern boreal forest(s) of the province years later. If indeed this scenario does play out and the Recovery effort is left to strike out from behind “Parks Canada Maginot Line” then like France during the dark beginnings of WWII all may be lost for the grizzly bear in Alberta.

The pretense of increased protection within the National Parks simply has not resulted in a vibrant and healthy core of grizzlies from which to populate the remainder of the province. As early as 1998 DNA census data suggested populations within the Parks were from 5 to 14% lower than previously estimated populations (Gibeau & Herrero 1998). While the DNA population discrepancy was surely disappointing it was probably not a point of grave concern as the authors believed the data too sparse for management purposes. Far more worrisome was data suggesting Banff National Park was not the wildlife sanctuary advertised to millions of tourists a year; in fact it was the least safe place for a female grizzly according mortality statistics:

In the national park study area from 1971-96, there were 118 recorded human-caused grizzly bear deaths (107 in BNP, 11 in YNP and 0 in KNP). Problem wildlife control (PW) accounted for 72% of these mortalities followed by highway and railway mortalities at 19%. The annual number of grizzly bear deaths (average 4.5/year) declined significantly into the 1980s. Total human-caused mortality rates were estimated at 8-10% for the 1971-83 period and less than 2% during 1984-96. However, the female portion of this mortality (80%) for the period 1984-96 was higher than reported in any grizzly bear population.

Benn, Bryon. 1998. Grizzly bear mortality in the Central Rockies Ecosystem

Unfortunately during the last ten years since the above data was collected our National Parks have endured severe budget cutbacks resulting in mandate conflicts (i.e. revenue and fiscal responsibilities versus conservation and protection), continued questionable conservation and environmental practices (i.e. continued development in quality wildlife habitat), and various levels of neglect (i.e. overall Park supervision and enforcement by wardens) resulting in the degradation of “protected” grizzly habitat.

Assuming the National Parks do everything possible to promote a viable grizzly population capable of migrating out of the Parks; where will they go once they’ve rebounded? As we’ve witnessed with caribou recovery efforts and now the grizzly there is an absence of political will to stop practices and development contributing to habitat loss. Given the years it will take the for the grizzlies to mount a comeback in the National Parks what are the odds that the political situation will change in that time when there are fewer and fewer grizzlies to protect on Alberta soil? No grizzly bear… no reason to protect habitat. As hard as it is to fathom, our mountain Parks are in such feckless condition as to make it almost impossible for them to assist in the recovery of Alberta’s grizzly at this time.

One Response to “Parks Canada to the Rescue”

1. the explorer’s lens » Blog Archive » Habitat loss, Hazing, and Habituation Says:
   May 30th, 2009 at 11:19 am

   [...] other issues a lack of space for grizzlies to establish themselves once out of the park – link here (Parks Canada to the Rescue). This week the Rocky Mountain Outlook (Young grizzly hazed from east [...]

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