There is much more to the story of grizzly bear population dynamics in our area than meets the eye.

Clayton Lamb, a PhD candidate bear biologist from the University of Alberta, says recent research shows that the Elk Valley is an ecological trap for grizzly bears.

“Mortality rates in the Elk Valley are among the highest in North America and the area has the highest non-hunting mortality rate in B.C.,” Lamb said.

“Grizzly bears were historically an apex species, meaning they had no natural predators, so grizzly populations were mostly limited by food supply. However, when humans and bears share space, grizzly bear populations can be limited by human factors like land use or roads.”

Lamb will share his research in his talk ‘Grizzly Bears: Running out of Room,’ with a focus on two case studies on grizzly bear population dynamics in the Rockies in two upcoming talks in Cranbrook and Fernie.

He will cover the effects of habitat quality, road density, and access management on bear populations and he’ll explain why his research team found that the Elk Valley is an ecological trap, drawing in bears to the area where their survival is uncertain.

Wildsight is hosting the talk on Wednesday, April 4 at the College of the Rockies Lecture Theatre in Cranbrook and in Fernie on Thursday, April 5 at The Arts Station “to dive deep into the many factors that cause grizzly populations to rise or fall and learn what we can do to keep make sure our grizzlies continue to roam the Kootenays.”

British Columbia is home to one of the largest grizzly bear populations in North America, with about 14,000 bears. But these bears face many threats, especially in the southern part of the province.

Both talks begin at 7 p.m. Admission is by donation to Wildsight.

Lead image: Clayton Lamb, grizzly bear scientist, with a tranquilized grizzly. Photo submitted

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