Post by Woody Williams on Jan 15, 2006 9:09:29 GMT -5
Stop hunting grizzlies: Expert wants bears protected until numbers increase
CALGARY - The provincial government's top grizzly expert is urging the
province to move forward with a strategy to protect the bears, including
halting the spring hunt.
For more than a year, the government has had in hand a draft plan from a
group assembled by the province to examine the state of Alberta's
grizzly population. The grizzly bear recovery team -- consisting of
scientists, environmentalists, a hunting group and industry
representatives -- recommended banning grizzly hunting until bear
numbers increase.
Alberta Sustainable Resources Development Minister David Coutts is still
reviewing the plan, which hasn't been made public, spokesman Dave Ealey
said.
In the meantime, the government is the midst of deciding whether to
allow another hunt.
"No matter what I do, I know I'm going to get into trouble," said the
province's grizzly expert, biologist Gordon Stenhouse, specifying he's
speaking as chairman of the recovery team, not as a government employee.
"Overall, the recovery team is concerned about the lengthy delays in
either responding to this (draft plan) and the releasing of
information."
Opposition to grizzly hunting has been mounting in Alberta. While the
government is assessing how many bears died last year and in what
manner, environmentalists are pegging 2005 as the deadliest in a decade.
Tracey Henderson of the Canmore-based Grizzly Bear Alliance figures at
least 40 grizzly bears died, including 10 through the
government-licensed hunt. With 700 grizzlies believed to be roaming
Alberta, 40 bears is six per cent of the population. "The population is
too low to sustain hunting losses," she said.
Henderson and other environmentalists accuse the government of
withholding vital details from Albertans, such as new DNA-based studies
of the province's grizzly numbers.
"They don't want the public to know what a sorry state our grizzly bear
population is in," said Jim
ot of Defenders of Wildlife Canada.
"As long as they keep things quiet, they can continue to allow the
spring hunt."
CALGARY - The provincial government's top grizzly expert is urging the
province to move forward with a strategy to protect the bears, including
halting the spring hunt.
For more than a year, the government has had in hand a draft plan from a
group assembled by the province to examine the state of Alberta's
grizzly population. The grizzly bear recovery team -- consisting of
scientists, environmentalists, a hunting group and industry
representatives -- recommended banning grizzly hunting until bear
numbers increase.
Alberta Sustainable Resources Development Minister David Coutts is still
reviewing the plan, which hasn't been made public, spokesman Dave Ealey
said.
In the meantime, the government is the midst of deciding whether to
allow another hunt.
"No matter what I do, I know I'm going to get into trouble," said the
province's grizzly expert, biologist Gordon Stenhouse, specifying he's
speaking as chairman of the recovery team, not as a government employee.
"Overall, the recovery team is concerned about the lengthy delays in
either responding to this (draft plan) and the releasing of
information."
Opposition to grizzly hunting has been mounting in Alberta. While the
government is assessing how many bears died last year and in what
manner, environmentalists are pegging 2005 as the deadliest in a decade.
Tracey Henderson of the Canmore-based Grizzly Bear Alliance figures at
least 40 grizzly bears died, including 10 through the
government-licensed hunt. With 700 grizzlies believed to be roaming
Alberta, 40 bears is six per cent of the population. "The population is
too low to sustain hunting losses," she said.
Henderson and other environmentalists accuse the government of
withholding vital details from Albertans, such as new DNA-based studies
of the province's grizzly numbers.
"They don't want the public to know what a sorry state our grizzly bear
population is in," said Jim
ot of Defenders of Wildlife Canada."As long as they keep things quiet, they can continue to allow the
spring hunt."
