Grizzly bears seen starving in the rainforests of British Columbia害羞草研究所檚 south coast because there isn害羞草研究所檛 enough salmon to sustain them raises alarm bells for wildlife biologist Wayne McCrory, who害羞草研究所檚 known as a leading bear expert in Canada.
The science is 害羞草研究所渃rying out害羞草研究所� for greater habitat protections for the iconic species as industrial activities eat away at the landscapes the bears depend on, he said.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a huge amount of protection work that needs to be done that isn害羞草研究所檛 happening, so you can say it害羞草研究所檚 in a crisis mode,害羞草研究所� he said in an interview.
McCrory said the province害羞草研究所檚 draft plan to adjust grizzly management doesn害羞草研究所檛 meaningfully address habitat loss and could prove 害羞草研究所渄isastrous害羞草研究所� for the bears.
He is among the signatories of an open letter sent to provincial officials last week as public engagement closed for the draft grizzly stewardship framework.
The letter published by Pacific Wild and signed by more than 50 scientists, advocates and conservation groups says the proposed plan minimizes the threats posed by the 害羞草研究所渟evere fragmentation害羞草研究所� of grizzly habitat in B.C. by logging, road building and other industrial activities against the backdrop of climate change.
害羞草研究所淚n order to mitigate the massive loss of biodiversity, the B.C. government must also shift from profit-first exploitation of wildlife habitat to the protection of our last remaining intact natural areas,害羞草研究所� the letter says.
The federal government listed the grizzly bear under the Species at Risk Act in 2018, classifying the bears as 害羞草研究所渟pecial concern害羞草研究所� following a recommendation by theCommittee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada six years earlier.
The committee害羞草研究所檚 report said grizzlies are 害羞草研究所渉ighly sensitive to human disturbance害羞草研究所� and concluded that concern would grow without a reversal of the 害羞草研究所渋ncreasing pressures of resource extraction and cumulative impacts害羞草研究所� on their habitat.
The listing is meant to trigger a requirement for governments to produce plans aimed at minimizing the likelihood of the species becoming endangered.
But McCrory said such a plan has not yet materialized for grizzlies in B.C.
He said the new draft framework repeats much of what害羞草研究所檚 already known about grizzly management in the province but lacks what害羞草研究所檚 really needed 害羞草研究所� actions to ensure healthy grizzly populations roam B.C.害羞草研究所檚 landscape for decades to come.
The plan is 害羞草研究所渇uzzy around the edges, without any way of really moving forward to get the on-the-ground habitat protection changes that grizzly bears need today if we害羞草研究所檙e going to have them around 50 or 100 years from now,害羞草研究所� he said.
A statement from the Forests Ministry said the framework was developed with input from approximately 85 Indigenous governments and groups.
害羞草研究所淎 key learning from that process was the different First Nations have different approaches to grizzly bear stewardship. Regionally based planning recognizes and honours this reality,害羞草研究所� it said.
The stewardship framework is what would previously have been referred to as a management plan, the ministry added.
害羞草研究所淭he purpose of the framework and strategy is to engage with First Nations, scientists and the public on supporting grizzly bears and their habitat, to ensure we continue to have a thriving population for years to come,害羞草研究所� said a statement attributed to Forests Minister Bruce Ralston.
In addition to larger protected areas, McCrory said the roughly 15,000 grizzlies in B.C. need a 害羞草研究所渕osaic害羞草研究所� of smaller yet continuous habitats that connect salmon streams to healthy forests, to berry patches and denning spots in the mountains.
B.C.害羞草研究所檚 auditor general delivered what McCrory described as a 害羞草研究所渟cathing害羞草研究所� review of grizzly bear management in 2017, finding the greatest threat to the bears was human activity that degrades their habitat, not hunting that害羞草研究所檚 since been banned.
The B.C. government announced the end of grizzly hunting in December 2017, with some exceptions for First Nations, and pledged to work on 害羞草研究所渞enewed害羞草研究所� strategy.
The draft stewardship framework released earlier this year says there is no 害羞草研究所渙ne size fits all害羞草研究所� approach that works across B.C. and encourages the development of local plans to be initiated by provincial wildlife staff as well as First Nations.
Those plans may then be shaped by local advisory teams consisting of relevant B.C. government staff and 害羞草研究所渋nterested parties such as industry, environmental organizations, independent biologists, and other stakeholders,害羞草研究所� the document says.
McCrory said he害羞草研究所檚 worried the local teams will open decision-making tables to hunting interests and 害羞草研究所渕uddy the waters害羞草研究所� around what really needs to be done.
害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檙e not going to end up with sound, science-based plans. You害羞草研究所檙e going to end up with, you know, whoever dukes it out and comes out on top,害羞草研究所� he said of the teams.
害羞草研究所淚 grew up in the Slocan Valley and I害羞草研究所檝e worked with many wildlife and conservation groups throughout B.C. and I just know how the backwoods politics works when it comes to conflicts and the grizzly bear trophy hunting,害羞草研究所� he added.
In his statement, Ralston said the province is not looking at lifting the ban at this time, adding members of First Nations continue to have the constitutional right to hunt the bears for food, social, and ceremonial purposes.
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