A Superior Court judge ruled on Wednesday that Alaska wildlife agents may resume killing black and brown bears, including from helicopters, as part of a plan to aid recovery of the Mulchatna caribou herd in southwest Alaska.
Key Details
- The Alaska Wildlife Alliance and Center for Biological Diversity sought a halt to the program while their lawsuit challenging its legality proceeds.
- Judge Adolf Zeman ruled that the groups failed to show the state acted without a reasonable basis when approving the plan.
- The timing is relevant because the Mulchatna caribou herd is expected to begin calving soon; calves are especially vulnerable to predation by bears and wolves.
Background
- The Mulchatna herd once numbered about 190,000 animals and provided up to 4,770 caribou annually for subsistence hunters from dozens of communities.
- The population declined beginning in the late 1990s and early 2000s, reaching about 13,000 in 2019 and an estimated 16,280 in 2023.
- Caribou hunting has been prohibited since 2021.
- From 2023 to 2024, the state killed 180 bears (mostly brown bears), with 11 additional bears killed last year.
Statements
"The state simply hasn’t shown that the unrestrained killing of bears is going to help us get there."
— Cooper Freeman, Alaska director at the Center for Biological Diversity
The conservation groups argue that the Alaska Board of Game authorized reinstating the program without key data on bear population numbers and sustainability.
State attorneys countered that officials took a "hard look" at factors related to bear numbers. In a court filing, they noted that "the herd has persisted at low numbers but started showing a positive response since 2023, when bear removal during calving seasons began."
"Continuing this program makes sense in light of the scientific record."
— Sam Curtis, Alaska Department of Law spokesperson
Curtis welcomed the decision, stating it allows the program to continue "during the upcoming caribou calving season, a crucial time for herd recovery."
Attorneys with Trustees for Alaska, representing the conservation groups, are reviewing the ruling and "will consider all available options," per spokesperson Madison Grosvenor.
Previous Litigation
The program has faced ongoing legal challenges. A judge last year, in a separate case brought by the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, found fault with the adoption process and concluded the state lacked data on bear sustainability. Emergency regulations were subsequently struck down. A public process ensued, and the board reauthorized the program last July.