Home - 28th IBA Conference - Edmonton, Canada

28th IBA Conference

Edmonton, Alberta

15th - 20th September 2024

FAST FACTS

Population: 1,418,118

Venue: Edmonton Convention Center

Local Bear Species: Black bear (Ursus americanus) and brown bear (Ursus arctos)

Airport: Edmonton International (YEG)

Visitor Information: Visit ExploreEdmonton.com

Visa Information: Visit the IRC Canada Website

Credit: Jeff Wallace

Thank You!

Dear Fellow IBA members and Council:

On behalf of the 28th International IBA Conference committee I want to extend our thanks to each of you for making the effort to attend the Edmonton conference, and by doing so making it a resounding success. The Friday night banquet, awards, and dance party was a great way to cap off the conference and we even impressed the DJ with the enthusiasm displayed!

The weather certainly co-operated and our team will take full credit for that!

There were many important and interesting talks and posters during the week and for this all IBA members benefited. Perhaps most importantly we all had ample time to interact and network with bear researchers and managers from around the world. After 6 years without direct face to face communications the conference met one of our primary goals in this regard.

Although we were all disappointed that many of our colleagues and friends from India, Pakistan, Nepal and Mongolia were unable to secure travel visas to enter Canada we were able to allow a small number of pre-recorded talks from these individuals and thus provide all members with an opportunity to learn about the important bear conservation work taking place in these countries. I would encourage everyone to reach out to the researchers who were not able to attend and offer them support and encouragement for their work and to let them know that they were missed at the conference.

Once again thanks to all for making the 28th IBA Conference one to remember.

Sincerely,

Gordon Stenhouse – 2024 IBA Conference Chair, Edmonton Alberta

Thank You Sponsors!

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Conference Registration

Conference Attendee Numbers

We are tallying the final numbers with estimates in the 350 – 400 range for total attendance.

Credit: Bob Bush

Accommodation

The conference organizers have secured very favorable discounted hotel rates for IBA Conference attendees for the 28th IBA Conference. There are two hotels that are all within easy walking distance (5 or 10 minutes) of our conference venue (the Edmonton Convention Center). Book your room by 14 August 2024 to receive this incredible discounted rate for conference attendees!

Edmonton has a unique and very important program with our downtown hotels that are hosting guests to major conferences in the city. This program offers a cash rebate to IBA if our attendees use the hotels we have selected as our preferred accommodation providers. To receive full benefits of this program, our attendees need to stay in these hotels and use the booking links below. The number of hotel nights we use will be tracked and if our targets are met, IBA will be eligible to receive up to $40,000 CAD as a cash rebate. This rebate can then be used to support IBA programs and operations, which benefits all members. This is truly a win/win situation, but is only possible if all conference attendees participate!

Please consider using one of the selected conference hotels we have identified to help IBA!

Note: It is very important that conference attendees use the links below to book their accommodation to be eligible for this scheme. Bookings via third-party sites (Expedia, Booking.com etc.) cannot be counted towards IBA’s total hotel nights. You must book your hotel through this website and by 14 August 2024 to secure the discounted rates.

stay at our partner hotels and help iba raise up to $40,000!

Credit: Brandon Mattice

Credit: Sepp Friedhuber

Presenter Guidelines

It was a great scientific conference with 115 oral presentations and 94 poster presentations. Check out the full abstracts and presenter information below.

View Full Conference Program with Abstracts

About Edmonton

Situated on the North Saskatchewan River, Edmonton is the vibrant capital city of Alberta, Canada. Renowned for its rich cultural scene, the city effortlessly blends urban sophistication with rustic charm. Edmonton International Airport (YEG) serves as the primary hub for visitors, with over 20 airlines operating, ensuring seamless connectivity to various destinations across the globe. Visa information for international travellers can be found using the link below.

While in Edmonton, attendees can explore the famed West Edmonton Mall – North America’s largest shopping centre – or dive deep into history at Fort Edmonton Park. The city is also home to the modern Art Gallery of Alberta, the sprawling Edmonton Valley Zoo, and the Muttart Conservatory’s architectural pyramids filled with diverse plant life. For culinary enthusiasts, a plethora of restaurants offer everything from traditional Canadian delicacies to global flavors.

For a more serene experience, the Edmonton River Valley stretches over 22 times the size of New York’s Central Park, offering picturesque trails and recreational areas. The Royal Alberta Museum also provides a deep dive into the province’s cultural history, and a vibrant selection of theatre and live music is also on offer. We look forward to welcoming you to the 2024 IBA conference.

The Edmonton International Airport is about 30 km (30-minute drive) away from downtown Edmonton. Here are some options for you to get into the city:

Taxi or cab – Alberta Co-op Taxi or Edmonton Taxi – approximately $60 CAD depending on time of da
Uber – Uber – approximately $50 CAD depending on time of day
Public Transit – Route 747, a bus service from the airport to Century Park Station (where you can also catch the LRT). – approximately $5 CAD

Credit: Brandon Mattice

Conference Schedule

This schedule is subject to change and will be updated accordingly.

Carbon Neutral

We are proud to share that the 28th IBA Conference will be a Carbon Neutral Event. When planning the conference, we will be making conscious choices to keep our emissions low. The IBA is working with Explore Edmonton and Ostrom Climate Solutions (Ostrom Climate), Canada’s leading carbon management solutions provider, to measure our event’s greenhouse gas emissions. As part of their Carbon Neutral Event Program, Explore Edmonton will offset emissions from the event, such as heating, cooling and food served, as well as the participants’ travel and hotel stays, without any additional charges to attendees. We will contribute to offset projects that prevent the equivalent emissions elsewhere.

To ensure we correctly offset the emissions of all attendees, each conference participant must complete a simple questionnaire prior to collecting their conference registration packs. Please click on the link below to start your survey submission.

Credit: BlackHawk Aeronautical Solutions

Workshops

The IBA conference committee has agreed to present three scientific/technical workshops for its members and conference delegates on the first day of our conference. The intent of holding these workshops for our membership is to promote the sharing of the latest techniques, methodologies, and conservation topics that support global conservation efforts for the world’s 8 species of bears.

Workshop 1

Workshop 2

Workshop 3

Field Trips - Deadline to Sign up is 1 August 2024

IBA Conference – A lot of work and some good play!

Attention! Due to some unfortunate cancellations, there are a 10 spaces now available for the Elk Island Field Trip. Register now to secure your spot!

Credit: Tobias

Silent Auction for IBA Student Group

During the Friday night banquet dinner, IBA will hold it’s traditional silent auction. All proceeds benefit the IBA Student Group. Past auctions have proven to be great fun with some friendly competition for items donated from conference attendees. We received over 100 items for the auction! Thank you to everyone who contributed.

Targeted Audience

International Exposure

Networking

Showcase Opportunities

Sponsors & Vendors

The IBA Conference in Edmonton provides an important and unique opportunity to meet with and interact with the researchers, scientists and managers who are at the forefront of bear conservation and management around the world. As a conference sponsor your support will be aiding the IBA membership and support the IBA goals approximately 500 members in over 40 countries made up of bear biologists, managers, technicians, educators, and conservation practitioners with a mission to advance the scientific understanding and global conservation of the world’s 8 bear species. Sponsor support will be displayed prominently throughout the conference in a variety of formats.

The conference also provides opportunities for vendors to meet with current and new users of the various products and materials that are vital to bear conservation and research efforts, thus allowing face to face discussions while allowing attendees to see the latest developments in the field.

If you are interested in these opportunities, please contact the conference chairman.