EDITORIAL – Killing more grizzly bears won’t keep people safer in the woods

An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.

THE B.C. WILDLIFE FEDERATION wasted no time in trying to take advantage of a terrible bear attack near Bella Coola for political purposes.

A group of school kids was attacked by a grizzly bear, with two people being seriously injured and two others in critical condition. The BCWF claims the problems with grizzlies have increased dramatically since B.C. prohibited the hunting of them in 2017, and claims the hunt should be brought back.

There’s no foundation for that position. Bear attacks on humans are very rare. The grizzlies themselves were becoming increasingly rare in the province, which is why the hunt was cancelled in the first place. There’s no evidence that killing more of them would make people safer.

Details on just what happened in the Bella Coola incident have been slow to come in and the cause of it is still unknown, but there are some clues that suggest possibilities.

A few hours after news of the attack broke, it was suggested the bear may have been previously injured. Injured or old bears are more likely to initiate predatory attacks.

Then, B.C. Conservation Service officers revealed on the weekend the attack may have involved a grizzly sow and her two cubs. If a mother bear sensed that her cubs were in danger, she may have launched a protective attack.

Hopefully, a likely cause will be identified soon so that the speculation can stop. Whatever is found out, the incident was a tragic interaction between humans and wildlife, which could have been even worse if not for the heroism of teachers who fought off the bear with pepper spray and a bear banger.

The hunting of grizzly bears isn’t about keeping humans safe. It’s about collecting trophies so that hunters can brag about their kill and post photos on social media. Claiming the hunt should be resumed in order to protect people is not an answer to anything.

Mel Rothenburger is a former regular contributor to CFJC-TV and CBC radio, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Webster Foundation Commentator of the Year finalist. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor.  He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.