Cuba Libre
Well-Known Member
What do you guys think, in view of this latest report-- Is trophy bear hunting OK by you??
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quote:
Far too many grizzlies killed in B.C. trophy hunt, new report says
By Judith Lavoie, Times ColonistApril 1, 2010 12:53 PMComments (2)
•Story•Photos ( 1 )
A new report by the David Suzuki Foundation and Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that since 1977, hunters have killed 9,484 grizzlies in B.C. Moreover, it says that the provincial government’s limits for kills were exceeded in 63 per cent of grizzly populations at least once over the last five years.Photograph by: Dave Buston, Canwest News ServiceAs hunters converge on B.C. for the spring trophy bear hunt, a new report shows that grizzly bears are being killed by humans at a rate that far exceeds limits set by the provincial government.
The study by the David Suzuki Foundation and Natural Resources Defense Council used the province’s own statistics to examine the number of grizzly bears that were killed by humans between 2004 and 2008. It then compared that data with province’s limits for what it determines is the allowable human-caused mortality rate for grizzlies.
The report found that largely because of trophy hunting, the government’s limits were exceeded in 63 per cent of grizzly populations at least once over the last five years and, in some cases, there were more than double the number of allowed kills.
“Held up against the government’s own estimates of what is sustainable, the number of grizzlies being killed in B.C. is excessive,” said Faisal Moola, Suzuki Foundation science director. “What’s even more concerning is that our research shows this over-killing is happening year after year in many parts of B.C. and nothing is being done to stop it.”
Moola, who with other scientists writing the report, held regular meetings with Environment Ministry officials to ensure the right data was used, said he does not know why such overkills are being permitted, especially as the report found at least 547 grizzlies were shot in parks and protected areas.
Moola speculates that government is not considering other threats to grizzly bears, such as poaching, collisions with vehicles and trains, and collapsing salmon populations.
“You can’t look at trophy hunting in a vacuum. Grizzly bears are facing a perfect storm of threats,” he said.
Some reports have estimated that poaching doubles the number of legal trophy kills, but enforcement is rare.
In documented kills, trophy hunting accounts for 88 per cent of human-caused grizzly deaths and the Suzuki Foundation and NRDC are calling on the province to close loopholes in the Wildlife Act to protect the bears from being shot by trophy hunters in parks and protected areas.
Also a large network of no-kill zones must be established if grizzly bear populations are to survive, the report says.
Backing up the recommendations is a letter to Premier Gordon Campbell, signed by eight grizzly bear specialists from universities around Canada and the U.S.
“We are disappointed that the science-based solutions that we have consistently raised with the government to reduce human-caused mortality and provide effective habitat protection for bears have not been implemented in regulatory standards,” the letter says.
“Consequently, the viability of grizzly bear populations and their habitat continues to erode.”
About half of all grizzlies in Canada are estimated to live in B.C., which amounts to about a quarter of the North American grizzly population.
Both the provincial and federal governments list grizzlies as a species of “special concern” because of their slow reproductive rates and susceptibility to human activities. Although there are restrictions around grizzly hunting in B.C., an annual trophy hunt, which begins today, is allowed. In comparison, grizzly bear trophy hunting is banned in the U.S. where the animals are listed under the Endangered Species Act and Alberta has suspended hunting since 2006 because of extremely low numbers of bears.
That means hunters are converging on B.C. for the hunt which starts today, Moola said.
The new report estimates that since 1977, hunters have killed 9,484 grizzlies in B.C. In 2001, the NDP government brought in a moratorium, but it was lifted the same year when the Liberals came to power.
The hunt has long been controversial. According to Moola, recent polls show that nearly 80 per cent of British Columbians oppose trophy hunting and more than 50,000 letters have been written to Campbell asking that trophy hunting be stopped.
Environment Minister Barry Penner was not available to comment Wednesday and a ministry spokesman said he has not yet seen the report.
jlavoie@tc.canwest.com
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