British Columbia's grizzly bears are among the most vulnerable large animals on the continent. The factors that threaten them are largely human-caused and include climate change, loss of habitat from industrial and recreational development, and unsustainable rates of mortality from direct causes such as trophy hunting. The David Suzuki Foundation has analyzed government records (Compulsory Inspection Database) going back nearly three decades that show that, on average, 339 grizzlies are killed each year by humans from trophy hunting, poaching, control kills, vehicle collisions and other causes.
The David Suzuki Foundation, along with many bear biologists believe that the B.C. government must reduce the human-caused mortality of grizzly bears by establishing a province-wide network of Grizzly Bear Management Areas (GBMAs) which preclude hunting and manage habitat for the needs of grizzlies and other important species. Such no-hunting zones have long been part of B.C.'s official government policy to conserve bears, but this commitment remains unfilled.