81 Bears and 14 Wolves Killed in Alaska to Help Caribou Calves

In an effort to restore the Mulchatna caribou herd, which has declined by about 94 percent since 1997, Alaskan officials are now in the second year of a new predator control program they hope will do the job. 

This year’s edition wrapped up on June 5th and resulted in the killing of 81 brown bears and 14 wolves from caribou calving grounds in Southwest Alaska.  The program, which has come under fire and even resulted in lawsuits, proved to be successful, even after just it’s first year. Following the 2023 program that saw 94 brown bears, five black bears, and five wolves removed from the landscape, Alaskan biologists reported an increase in calf survival through the fall with a caribou cow-to-calf ratio of 44 calves per 100 cows. Those numbers end up “well above the 10-year average” of 23 calves for every 100 calves, according to the agency.

“Based on last fall, I anticipate we’re going to see another pretty strong showing of calves pretty quickly,” ADFG director Ryan Scott said.

With a number of collared calves, Alaskan officials are able to track their movements through the spring and early summer. The program also includes a photographic survey set to be completed this summer when herds arrive on their summer range as well as another survey later on in the fall.

While the state admits that there are likely other factors at play, including disease and habitat loss, they maintain that trimming wolf and bear populations has been proven to help calves get through their first year of life. Despite their best efforts to prove this theory, criticism of the program isn’t going anywhere as many advocate for the protections of bears and wolves, despite having incredibly healthy populations of both species in place.

“Bear and wolf populations are healthy in western Alaska,” according to the agency. “The removals of wolves and bears in the western spring calving control area are occurring in a relatively small area that is surrounded by intact habitat on state and federal lands where control activities are not occurring.”

In total, the program cost just a hair over $300,000 to conduct and after losing out to caribou here on the lower 48, that seems like money well spent on dwindling populations on the last frontier.