(Larry Pynn photo of grizzly bear in the Bella Coola Valley)
Government stats refute hunting organization’s claim re: public complaints related to grizzly bears
The BC Wildlife Federation would have us believe that public complaints regarding grizzly bears have reached “nearly 1,000 a year” — a rise so dramatic it warrants a return to grizzly hunting.
But statistics released today by the BC Ministry of Environment and Parks tell a different story.
The BCWF posted a news release on Nov. 21/25 that said: “Since the grizzly hunt ended in B.C. in 2017, grizzly-human conflicts have risen dramatically. In the 10 years preceding the ban, calls to the Conservation Officer Service concerning grizzly conflicts ranged from 300 to 500 a year, peaking between April and November. Since the ban, calls about grizzly bears doubled, to nearly 1,000 a year.”
The ministry stats are for 2012 to 2025 (with BC-wide numbers for September onward this year yet to be released).
(BC Ministry of Environment and Parks)
During that 14-year period, the number of calls nearly reached 1,000 twice — 965 in 2023 and 943 in 2019.
In 2021, the number of calls dipped to 610 — that’s less than 661 recorded in 2016 and 649 in 2017.
Note that a call does not necessarily mean that a grizzly is actually a threat. Conservation officers respond to only a fraction of reported calls. For example, in June this year the province received 130 calls regarding grizzlies, and responded to 20 of those.
The stats show that grizzly attacks have reached a high of eight in 2025, one more than seven attacks in four earlier years, including in 2015 and 2017.
There were three attacks in 2024 and one in 2023.
Over the 14-year period, grizzly attacks led to a total of two deaths, in 2017 and 2025.
sixmountains.ca sought comment from the ministry Monday after comparing stats for the last few years against the BCWF statement.
In response, the ministry Tuesday provided a table detailing grizzly-related calls, attacks and fatalities dating back to 2012.
sixmountains.ca contacted Jesse Zeeman, executive director of the BCWF, regarding the federation's news release.
He has not responded, and as of Tuesday morning the federation statement remains unchanged on its website.
The federation news release: https://bcwf.bc.ca/grizzly-conflicts-are-bound-to-keep-rising/
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— Larry Pynn, Nov. 25, 2025
