Enormous Grizzly Bear Weighing 450 Pounds Put Down in a Drive-By Shooting —Alberta

In Alberta, a massive grizzly bear weighing 450 pounds was shot by people driving by.

According to a statement from Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement, the bear was killed on October 14 around 4 PM. According to officials, the person who shot and killed the animal drove up before making a quick U-turn.

The number of grizzly bears in Alberta was predicted to range from 856 to 973 in 2021. The population once covered a larger portion of the Canadian province. However, in recent years, their numbers have sharply decreased. They continue to be contained in the Rocky Mountains as well as the Foothills Natural Region of Alberta.

In 2010, grizzly bears were formally listed as threatened species, making bear hunting prohibited in that area.

Shooting, Killing Wildlife in Alberta

An Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement spokesperson said in an interview with Newsweek that they were unable to comment on details of the incident because the case was still open. Also, an investigation is still going on. They can only confirm that it was a mature male grizzly bear with a weight of about 450 pounds.

The spokesperson added that in the province, bears are now and then shot and killed, but this is not something that is frequently seen. To quickly and fairly resolve situations like this, Albertans who accidentally shoot and kill a bear should report the incident to their neighborhood Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Office right away.

According to a statement posted on Facebook, officials are aware that a blue Dodge truck that had a red quad in the box was the only vehicle spotted in the area at the time of the shooting.

No More Grizzly Bear Hunting

According to The Globe and Mail, an Albertan news website, in 2006, all grizzly bear hunting permits were revoked, and a plan for the recovery of the species was created. But since black bears are common in the province and are legal to hunt, it seems to be possible that the person who shot the bear thought it was a black bear.

The firm statement said that Fish & Wildlife officers think the driver or passengers in this car might know something crucial to their investigation. Fish & Wildlife officers are requesting that anyone who believes that the grizzly bear was mistaken for a black bear call the Report a Poacher Hotline.

Unpopular Ban

The prohibition on hunting grizzly bears is unpopular with some Canadians.

A Facebook user responded to the statement by saying that some people are very upset that there is no season for grizzlies, and by doing this, they are demonstrating their disregard for the law.

Other people said that grizzly bears occasionally cause problems by getting into houses and causing damage.

Another user of the same social media platform said that a raffle must be held, and only a certain number of these animals must be killed each year. There are many more bears, which are causing problems in residential and agricultural areas. The same user added that sadly, this bear appears to be quite beautiful, Newsweek reports.

Grizzly Bears

According to Western Wildlife, although they are occasionally portrayed as ferocious predators in the media, in reality, grizzly bears are typically solitary animals. Grizzly bears are highly intelligent, inquisitive, and remember things very well, especially the location of food sources.

Although grizzly bears are active both day and night, they frequently change their routines in areas with a lot of human activity to avoid people.