Environmental Trends 2002

Wildlife

Has the Range of Grizzly Bear Changed?

Grizzly Bear Population Viability

Grizzly Bear Population Viability

SOURCE: BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection 2001. NOTES: The delineations on this map represent Grizzly Bear sub-populations. Sub-population estimates are expressed as a percentage of the capability of the habitat to support Grizzly Bears. For example, excellent population viability means that the habitat is supporting more than 75% of the Grizzly Bears that it has the capability to support. The population viability for each category is: excellent >75%; good 50–75%; fair 25–50%; poor <25%. Zones designated as "not viable" show where there are no resident adult female Grizzly Bears. The Ministry of Water, Land and Air is not actively managing Grizzly Bear habitat or promoting population recovery inside this zone. Grizzly Bears may be occasionally sighted inside this zone, but these animals are usually lone male transients or problem bears, likely to come into conflict with humans.

Has the range of Grizzly Bear changed?

  • Current estimates suggest that British Columbia is home to a minimum 13,800 Grizzly Bears — half of Canada’s and one-quarter of North America’s current Grizzly Bear population. New inventory techniques are helping to improve our knowledge of Grizzly Bear numbers in British Columbia.

  • Grizzly Bears retained their provincial status of Special Concern in 2002, by both the province and by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

  • Historically, Grizzly Bears have ranged over most of the province. Today, their population is extirpated (locally extinct) or not viable in 12%, threatened (poor or fair) in 9%, and excellent or good in 80% of their historical range.

  • A scientific panel established by the Government of British Columbia is reviewing harvest management procedures, including methods currently used to estimate Grizzly Bear populations. The review will be completed in December 2002.

  • A pilot project to recover threatened Grizzly Bear populations in the North Cascades is underway. Recovery efforts are planned for 11 of the 60 Grizzly Bear sub-populations in British Columbia.

  • Grizzly Bears move over hundreds of squarekilometres. Their sensitivity to disturbance makes them particularly vulnerable to human settlement, transportation, recreation and resource development.

For detailed information, including graph data, see In-Depth report [pdf].