Home / Environment / Alaskan Wildlife Authorities Sued Over Aerial Bear Hunting Program
Alaskan Wildlife Authorities Sued Over Aerial Bear Hunting Program
11 Nov
Summary
- Environmental groups sue Alaska over predator control plan
- Plan allows hunting of unlimited bears from helicopters
- State killed 175 grizzlies and 5 black bears since 2023
On November 11, 2025, environmental groups filed a lawsuit against Alaska's wildlife authorities, seeking to block a predator control plan that allows game wardens to hunt down unlimited numbers of bears from helicopters. The plan, which was reinstated by the state's Board of Game, is designed to protect a protected caribou herd by reducing bear predation.
However, the plaintiffs, including the Center for Biological Diversity and the Alaska Wildlife Alliance, argue that the state has failed to adequately account for the impact of the program on grizzly and black bear populations. They claim that under two earlier versions of the program, state agents have already killed 175 grizzly bears and 5 black bears since 2023.
The state's wildlife officials have defended the program, stating that they are trying to rebuild the caribou herd without jeopardizing the long-term sustainability of bear populations. The Mulchatna caribou herd is currently estimated to be fewer than 15,000, well below the desired range of 30,000 to 80,000 for traditional hunting and subsistence purposes.
The environmental groups, however, argue that the bear control program reflects a misguided approach that prioritizes the protection of big-game species over the health of the ecosystem as a whole. They contend that factors such as disease and lack of food resources due to climate change are more significant threats to the caribou herd than bear predation.
