A new report says the long term survival of grizzly bears in the western province of British Columbia (B.C.) is threatened because of a loss of habitat and food sources and a government-sanctioned trophy hunt.
The recently-formed charitable organization, the Grizzly Bear Foundation commissioned a three-person board of inquiry to investigate the status of the bears. None of the members is a scientist, but they met with government officials and scientists, and held public hearings across the province.
Grizzly population is vastly diminished
There are an estimated 15,000 grizzly bears in B.C. That is the second largest population after that of Alaska. These bears used to roam from northern Mexico to the Arctic and from western Canada to the central province of Ontario. They are now mostly found in the western-most part of the country.
‘Bears may disappear’
“Grizzly bears have lived in our province for at least 50,000 years”, said inquiry chairman Michael Audain in a news release. “But unless we take serious steps now to secure their wilderness home from encroachment by human activities and protect their food sources from the impact of climate change, in a few decades the bears may disappear.”
The inquiry made several recommendations to government including educating children about grizzly bears, collaborating with indigenous people and other bear experts on conservation issues, and creating an advisory body to direct research.
It also recommends stopping the trophy hunt which kills 300 bears annually.
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