Research activities are centred in the Yellowhead bear management area (BMA) in Western Alberta. This diverse landscape, home to approximately 42 grizzly bears, is changing due to industrial and human activity. Using remote sensing, wildlife surveillance techniques and DNA sampling, researchers will study the effects of disturbance on the habitat, behaviour and health of grizzly bears in the Yellowhead region.
Yellowhead Region Map
The Yellowhead BMA spans from the British Columbia border as far east as Rocky Mountain House. The northern border follows Highway 16 to Highway 22, which marks the eastern border. The southern border is Highway 11 and runs to the British Columbia/Alberta border. This area has a diverse geography and varying ranges of disturbance. The west side of the BMA is in Jasper National Park, giving the BMA a reasonable approximation of a control area for human disturbance. The rest of the BMA, though relatively unpopulated has undergone increasing levels of activity from resource extraction and exploration and recreational activities. Geographically, the western part of the BMA is part of the Rocky Mountains, and gradually turns to foothills towards the eastern border of the BMA. There are numerous types of bear habitat within the BMA including both forest and open terrain.