Bear Matters BC

June 8,2007 (e-mail with no response to date)

The Honourable Barry Penner,

Minister of Environment,

Parliament Buildings

Victoria, B.C. V8V 1X4

Dear Minister Penner,

It is with great urgency and resolve that I write this letter to you.

Some months ago, it was brought to my attention that “orphan cubs of the year” were

again being killed at the discretion of the MOE wildlife authorities. At first, I

thought perhaps it was just the odd case in which there was no other choice

possible. However, I now have accumulated reports that point to a minimum of 11

vulnerable, orphan cubs meeting government sanctioned death. They come from the

regions including the communities of Smithers, Prince George, Lillooet, Manning

Park and Kamloops.

All are sad cases but what happened in Manning Park has left the man who gathered

up two small healthy cubs with the intention of driving them to a rehabilitation

centre absolutely traumatized. The mother bear was killed by an eighteen wheeler.

The man had the cubs in his truck, ready to go when the wildlife officer told him

they were to be left in the forest to starve. When the man refused he was

threatened with charges under the wildlife act. After some heated discussion, the

wildlife officer changed his approach by promising to send them to rehabilitation

himself. The next day, the man phoned to enquire about the cubs’ welfare and was

told they had been shot. Why?

All of these cubs, some as small as 2 pounds, were candidates for rehabilitation.

No shelters were contacted and none of the cubs were evaluated before being

killed. Licensed, willing and able to provide these vulnerable animals with a

second chance, British Columbia’s rehabilitation shelters do their work at no cost

to the taxpayer. This situation, therefore, is cruel, unnecessary and

unacceptable. (note: 2lb cub from Lillooet area was said to be too small but many

rehabbers have worked with newborns very successfully)

December 15, 2004, Minister Barisoff, publicly announced that orphan cubs of the

year in the Southern region would be given the same second chance as those in the

Northern region of this province. As a result, Critter Care Wildlife Rehabilitation

Centre in Langley has successfully raised and released 15 bears without incident.

April, 2005 in an election speech, Premier Campbell publicly promised to help BC’s

orphan cubs with a promise of $400,000 to be used for this purpose. Why then would

cubs be killed now when public sentiment is trending so strongly towards

conservation, when the Premier is giving speeches about the need to conserve

habitat and the wildlife within and when you yourself speak of the need for

everyone to be responsible for conservation?

Our beautiful ‘Super Natural’ BC, as we advertise it, is a beacon for the world of

eco-tourism. In Europe especially, bears are loved and this policy not only hurts

the bears in question but BC Tourism.

I am hopeful that this situation is not new policy and that you will address it

quickly to ensure cubs found (and there will be many as a result of the spring bear

hunt) will get the second chance they deserve. I also hope you will take a close

look at the inhumane practice in that hunt. Mothers of any species should not be

hunted down when they have young to care for. Surely we have evolved beyond this

practice.

Proactive measures to address poaching, cancellation of the spring bear hunt and

the reduction of nuisance bear populations through innovative methods already

proven effective in other jurisdictions, would place British Columbia on the

leading edge of conservation.

It is within your power to do the right thing, Minister Penner. Please stop the

indiscriminate and unnecessary killing of orphan cubs. All they need is a little

compassion and that second chance. I ask you to give it to them on behalf of all