Gbp 2008 11 pstr frisgbp panel1 0

Foothills Research Institute’s

GRIZZLY BEAR PROJECT

Program

LONG-TERM GRIZZLY BEAR CONSERVATION

(1999 – CURRENT)

The objective of this research program is to provide

resource managers with the necessary knowledge and

planning tools to ensure the long-term conservation of

grizzly bears in Alberta.

Objective

Study

Location

All GRIZZLY BEAR RANGE IN ALBERTA

This program is taking place in western Alberta, Canada

and encompasses an area of 228,160 km2 along the

eastern slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and up

into the Boreal Forest. A portion of the study area lies

within protected areas and allows comparisons between

landscapes with different degrees of human use and

resource extraction activities.

Habitat Maps Goal: To map all grizzly bear habitat in

Alberta.

How?: Use remote sensing techniques

to discern different habitats from satellite

imagery. Conduct field checks to

determine accuracy.

Capture and Collaring Why is this necessary?: We

need grizzly bear location data to

create and validate our models.

Where?: Areas within Alberta’s

grizzly bear range where grizzly

bear data is currently lacking.

How?: Bears are captured by

ground snaring, aerial darting or

culvert traps. GPS collars are

fitted to bears to obtain up to 24 locations a day.

Satellite Image Land Cover Map

Remote Sensing Team led by Dr. Steven

Franklin (U of Saskatchewan) and Dr. Greg

McDermid (U of Calgary)

Resource Selection Function (RSF) Maps What are they?: RSF models predict on the

landscape where bears are likely to be found at

certain times of the year.

How are they created?: Using various habitat

maps derived from satellite imagery, grizzly bear

location data, and various landscape attributes

(slope, aspect, soil, moisture etc.), we can

determine landscape features associated with

grizzly bear occurrence and predict (model)

where on the landscape grizzly bears will most

likely be at different times of the year (spring,

summer, fall).

Modeling led by Dr. Scott Nielsen (U of Alberta)

+

Model testing

and validation

RSF Map

Fall Season Habitat Maps

Grizzly Bear Locations

Landscape Attributes (slope, aspect, soil, moisture etc.) +

Percent Conifer Crown Closure

Leaf Area Index

Results: Not only have we obtained

one of the largest databases in

Alberta, we have and will continue to

improve capture, drug and darting

protocols that will reduce stress and

injury to bears during capture. In

addition, the number of illegally killed

collared bears has highlighted this as

being a leading threat to the survival

of grizzly bears on provincial lands in

Alberta.

Results: Habitat maps

for the entire grizzly bear

Capture Program and overall Program

Habitat Mapping

Schedule

range in Alberta were completed in 2007

Coordinator is led by Gordon Stenhouse (ASRD and

Foothills Research Institute)

Grizzly Bear Location Data