Poaching suspect sought after two grizzlies illegally killed near Sundre: province

A stock photo of a grizzly bear and its cub. (Unsplash/Greg Johnson)

The Alberta government is investigating the poaching deaths of two grizzly bears it believes happened on the same day.

Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services began the hunt for a poacher after a grizzly bear was found dead near Sundre, Alta., on June 13.

Fish and Wildlife says the grizzly’s body was left along Highway 734 in an area known to locals as “Rig Street” after it was shot.

Officers who were called to the scene were told a witness heard a gunshot and then saw a truck speeding away.

In a social media post Thursday, Fish and Wildlife says officers were called to the same area on June 25 after another bear was found dead from an illegal gunshot.

The agency says it believes both bears were killed on the same day, given how close the bears were to each other and the state of decomposition of each animal.

It says both bears were male, around three to four years old and weighed around 200 to 300 pounds.

The agency says anyone who may have witnessed the incident or observed suspicious activity in the area on the evening of June 13 is encouraged to call the Report a Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800 or submit a tip online at alberta.ca/report-poacher.

Penalties for poaching under Alberta’s Wildlife Act include “substantial fines, forfeiture of equipment and suspension of hunting privileges,” the agency said.