Giant 450lb Grizzly Bear Killed in Drive by Shooting

A giant 450-pound grizzly bear has been shot in Alberta in a drive by shooting.

The bear was killed at around 4 pm on October 14, the Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement said in a statement. The person who shot the animal drove up, then left at high speed in a different direction, officials said.

In 2021, it was estimated that the Alberta grizzly bear population stood at between 856 and 973. The population used to be more widespread across the Canadian province, but in recent years their numbers have dropped significantly. They remain solely within Alberta's Rocky Mountain and Foothills Natural region.

The bears were officially declared a threatened species in 2010 and it's illegal to hunt them there.

"With this case still open and an investigation ongoing, we cannot comment on the specifics of the incident," a spokesperson for Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement told Newsweek. "What we can share is that the animal was an adult male grizzly bear weighing approximately 450 lbs.

"While bears are occasionally shot and killed in the province, it is not something that we encounter on a regular basis. If an Albertan does mistakenly shoot and kill a bear, they should immediately report the incident to their local Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Office to bring matters like this to a quick and fair resolution."

Officials know that the vehicle seen in the area at the time of the shooting was a blue dodge truck with a red quad in the box, according to the statement, which was posted to Facebook.

Permits for grizzly bear hunting were stopped completely in 2006, and a plan was drafted for the species' recovery. It is, however, legal to hunt black bears, which are abundant across the province, and it's possible that the individual responsible for hunting the bear mistook it for a black bear.

"Fish & wildlife officers believe the occupant(s) of this vehicle could have information essential to their investigation. Fish & wildlife officers believe it's possible that the person(s) responsible mistook the grizzly bear for a black bear and are asking them to contact the Report a Poacher Hotline," the statement said.

Some Canadians don't agree with the ban on hunting grizzly bears.

"Some folks out there are really angry that there isn't a season on grizzlies. And this is their way of showing how they don't give a crap about laws," one Facebook user said in response to the statement.

Other people said that grizzly bears are occasionally causing issues by wandering into residential properties.

"They need to do a raffle and have a limited number of these bears harvested each year . Numbers are way up and lots getting into farm land and residential areas causing issues. To bad this looks like a beautiful bear," another Facebook user said.

Grizzly bears are infamous for having an aggressive temperament. But the species do not attack humans unless they feel provoked or threatened in some way. Female bears with cubs tend to be more prone to attacking out of protectiveness.