Bears Targeted as Trophy Hunt Opens in BC

BRITISH COLUMBIA (April 1, 2009) -- The provincial government will allow trophy hunters to begin killing bears for sport in the Great Bear Rainforest on Wednesday, even though Coastal First Nations and 78 percent of British Columbians want to see an end to the killing. Last month, the Coastal First Nations, Pacific Wild, Humane Society International/Canada, and the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust formed a coalition to call for an end to the trophy hunting of bears in the Great Bear Rainforest.   
 
"It's disappointing that the provincial government continues to blatantly disregard public will to end this atrocity," said Joanne Chang, director of outreach for HSI/Canada. "Instead of taking meaningful steps to protect these magnificent grizzly and black bears, the government plans to close only a handful of coastal zones to bear hunting. This means that grizzly and black bears in the Great Bear Rainforest will continue to die cruel deaths at the hands of trophy hunters."
 
In a public relations attempt to downplay the controversy, Environment Minister Barry Penner recently announced additional grizzly and black bear "no hunting" areas, to be enforced after the hunting season is over. Most of the new "no hunting" areas are already off limits to hunting, and most of the Great Bear Rainforest remains open to trophy hunters.
 
"We know that the 'no hunting' areas are too few and too small to protect large ranging animals such as bears, once the bears leave the no hunt zone they are vulnerable to trophy hunting," said Ian McAllister, director of Pacific Wild. "Without a total ban of trophy hunting in the Great Bear Rainforest, the bear populations will continue to be put at risk."
 
The Coastal First Nations want the trophy hunt banned in their respective territories because the sport slaughter of bears is incompatible with their values.
 
"Bears are integral to the ecology of the coast and deserve respect," said Guujaaw, spokesperson for the Coastal First Nations. "They should not die to fill someone's bloodlust or twisted sense of adventure."
 
Trophy hunting poses a direct economic threat to the rapidly growing wildlife viewing industry, which generates far more income for rural communities than the trophy hunting industry. While the commercial trophy hunting of grizzly bears generates only $2.5 million province-wide, one bear viewing operation alone in Knight Inlet grossed more than $3 million in direct revenue in 2007. The provincial government continues to confuse the issue by releasing economic figures for all hunting in the Province.  
 

"With an election on the horizon, British Columbians have a historic chance to end the trophy hunt before there are no bears left in the Great Bear Rainforest," said Chang. "The public response to this campaign has been overwhelming and it would be wise for the province to heed the will of voters, listen to conservation scientists and protect BC's growing ecotourism industry by ending the kill."

For more info, please visit:

www.HSICanada.ca/protectbears
www.PacificWild.org
www.HaidaNation.ca