Wildlife officers looking for poachers after tagged grizzly found dead
Hunting grizzly bears is illegal in Alberta and carries a maximum fine of $100,000
Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers are investigating after a tagged grizzly bear was found shot to death and left slumped next to a road south of Hinton.
According to a post on the Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement's Facebook page, the bear was found Monday evening after someone with the fRI Research Grizzly Bear Program noted a bear's collar was transmitting a mortality signal.
Fish and wildlife officers travelled out to the bear's last known location, 48 kilometres south of Hinton on Pembina River Road, where they found the body.
At its time of death, the mature grizzly weighed about 450 pounds.
The province designated grizzly bears a threatened species under Alberta's Wildlife Act and hunting was suspended in 2006. Grizzly poaching carries a maximum fine of $100,000 and/or one year in jail.
Officers believe the bear was shot sometime between 3 and 10 p.m. on Oct. 3. Anyone with information is asked to call Report a Poacher at 1-800-642-3800.