Wed 4 Apr 2007
Raincoast Society Comments on ‘Grizzly Attack Plagues Central Coast
Posted by Barb under BC Info , Grizzly Bear Info , Newsnote: see complete Vancouver Sun article by Larry Pynn in Comments section
Statement by Chris Genovali of Raincoast Society in response to Mar 31′07 Van Sun Newspaper.
The article by Larry Pynn was one of the most unfortunate pieces of journalism I have ever read on bears. It exploited every hysteria-laden stereotype in the book about grizzlies, including the sensationalistic headline and photo accompanying the article. To rely on people like well-known pro grizzly trophy hunting mouthpiece Gary Shelton, as well as boosters of the grizzly hunt within the Ministry of Environment, for expert testimony, while neglecting to get any opposing viewpoint from either conservationists or independent non-government scientists is biased and extremely unfair. There are many factors at play regarding this situation and they are much more complex than the article has portrayed. For example, below is a letter I wrote to the Ministry regarding the serious problem of the Bella Coola landfill site and its impacts on bears. I still have not received a satisfactory answer to the questions posed in the letter: February 21, 2005
Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (now Ministry of Environment)
To Whom It May Concern:
It has come to our attention that large numbers of grizzly bears and black bears have been killed (and continue to be killed) at the Bella Coola landfill site under the direction of MWLAP. We have been told that numerous grizzlies were killed in order to “secure” the landfill site and that bears continue to be killed to “protect” the landfill fence. We would like to request answers to the following:
Exactly how many grizzly bears have been killed to date in the course of this landfill “security” action? Could you please provide us with the grizzly bear kill record associated with this landfill “security” action, along with preceding management actions, beginning in January 2004. Could you please include a description of each action taken, the date of each action, sex and age of bear involved, and who participated.
Exactly how many black bears have been killed to date in the course of this landfill “security” action? Could you please provide us with the grizzly bear kill record associated with this landfill “security” action, along with preceding management actions, beginning in January 2004. Could you please include a description of each action taken, the date of each action, sex and age of bear involved, and who participated.
How has this significant number of grizzly bear deaths impacted the trophy hunting kill quota for grizzlies on the central coast?
Is there a waste management plan in place to mitigate the attractants at the landfill site? If not, why not?
Why did MWLAP encourage the Regional District into supporting this particular fencing plan for the landfill site despite significant public opposition to the plan over the concern that large numbers of bears would have to be killed in the process? Regarding the structure of the fence, is it electrified and is there a bib at the bottom?
Who exactly has done (and is doing) the killing? Conservation Officers? What has been the reporting procedure for each black and grizzly bear kill? Has each action been recorded by local conservation officers? Has this information been forwarded to regional headquarters and to Victoria?
We look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Chris Genovali
Executive Director
April 4th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Grizzly attacks plague central coast
‘We are living in a siege mentality. The bears have taken over,’ Bella Coola Valley resident says
Larry Pynn, Vancouver Sun
Published: Saturday, March 31, 2007
Instead of going after the bears, he said, the government tells people what to do. “I’m not supposed to feed my dog on my porch, we can’t have bird feeders, you can’t cook bacon on Saturday morning with the window open.
“This is bullshit. People have a right out here to live as they want to live. At no time in history have grizzly bears and humans ever lived together in any kind of complacency. It’s ridiculous.”
It turns out the environment ministry also suspects something should be done.
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Font: ****”We know this is a chronic conflict area and we’re going to take a look at it,” Tony Hamilton, the province’s carnivore specialist, said Friday in Victoria. “I’m committed to take a look at this. The idea of managing a (grizzly) population at saturation density in a community just doesn’t make sense to us.”
The Bella Coola Valley is home to an estimated 60 resident grizzlies, a figure that could exceed 100, including cubs, in late summer and fall when the salmon runs draw bears from other nearby areas.
Hamilton doesn’t believe grizzly bear numbers are up, per se, in the Bella Coola area, but feels that loss of habitat as a result of clear-cutting in the area and a major forest fire in 2004 in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park may be driving more of them into the settled valley bottom.
The erection of electric fencing in 2004 at the Bella Coola landfill also had an impact on the bears. Conservation officers shot and killed 14 grizzlies thought to be conditioned to garbage and unlikely candidates for relocation.
Hamilton said bear viewing in Tweedsmuir also may be habituating the bears to people, and potentially making them bolder around sport fishermen. Park staff are using rubber bullets to keep the bears wary.
Hamilton agreed that while humans are often to blame for bear encounters in B.C., that doesn’t seem to be a major factor in the Bella Coola Valley. “There’s a lot of bears around, including adult females showing up in the community and literally defending things like fruit trees. That’s indicative of a saturation density.”
The number of limited-entry hunting permits in the management sub-zone that includes the Bella Coola Valley is being increased to five spring hunts and as many as 17 fall hunts in 2007, up from one spring and three fall limited-entry hunts in 2006, Hamilton said.
But that may not make much difference in the Bella Coola Valley. Past experience shows that hunters prefer to kill a grizzly in wilderness portions of the sub-zone located away from the populated valley.
The success rate on limited-entry grizzly hunts is also extremely small, in part because hunters who win the permit do not always
follow through with their hunt as planned or just don’t find a bear.
Hamilton said the Bella Coola Valley — including the key tributary, the Atnarko River — is heaven on earth for bears: strong spawning runs of all five Pacific salmon species, and a highly productive flood plain that includes not just natural vegetation, but also fruit trees, compost, and livestock.