Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy

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Grizzly Bears and People

Garbage and Other Food Sources

The majority of all bear attacks on humans in North America have been by bears that had fed on garbage or on other food sources such as orchards and compost heaps. Garbage-conditioned bears are even more dangerous and unpredictable than wild bears. They learn to associate humans with food and thus lose their fear of humans.

Garbage-conditioned bears pose a threat to human safety and property, and this situation often results in the destruction of bears. From 1989 to 1993, an average of 20 Grizzly Bears had to be destroyed yearly in British Columbia because of the potential for conflict with humans. During the same time period, an average of 384 black bears had to be destroyed each year. The only message that is clear about the impact of human food and garbage on bears is this: a garbage-conditioned bear is a doomed bear.

It has been shown that bears that learn to associate humans and food remember the connection for life. Poor garbage and food waste management has negative impacts on both Grizzly Bears and humans:

• Bears may become predisposed to aggressive or "nuisance" behaviour and are more likely to attack humans.
• Bears that become "addicted" to human food are no longer "wild." This can adversely affect their quality of life as well as the public's perception of bears.
• The costs of dealing with bears that are in conflict with people are high, both in terms of tax dollars and the number of bears that have to be destroyed.
• The potential for illegal kills increases because of the vulnerability of bears near settled areas.
• The health of grizzlies may be compromised through direct injury from broken glass and sharp objects, the consumption of toxic materials (plastic, petroleum products, medicines, chemicals) and tooth decay.

The provincial government is developing policies to reduce the amount of garbage available to bears. An interagency committee within the Ministry of Environment will work with key stakeholders to address the issues of waste management and regulations and the handling of other bear attractants such as orchards, compost heaps and beehives.

The Waste Management Branch of the Ministry of Environment has earmarked $250,000 annually for controlling waste to help eliminate garbage-habituation in bears throughout the province. Through this program government will:

• Work more aggressively with regional districts to close the majority of remote landfills and transfer stations.
• Provide support funding to regional districts to encourage building of "predator-proof" transfer stations.
• Provide funding of up to 25 per cent to regional districts for installation of effective electrical fencing (several pilot projects are already underway).
• Step up public education efforts for communities and individuals around the problem of bear attractants around the home, such as barbecues and garbage cans.
• Improve enforcement of permit conditions required for waste disposal sites.
• Provide funding, in partnership with the public, for the relocation of bears that have a high probability of a successful relocation.
• Explore ways to reduce bear conflicts around orchards.

A policy paper dealing with waste and other attractants will be released in fall 1995.

Relocation

One way of dealing with bears in conflict with humans is to move the bears to a location where there is less likelihood of interaction with humans. Although government policy allows for the relocation of grizzly and black bears that have a high probability of survival, relocation of bears is expensive, and is not considered highly successful. Bears that have been habituated to people or to garbage are not good candidates for translocation because they continue to search out garbage as a major source of food. Bears have been known to travel hundreds of kilometres to return to learned food sources. Injured bears, juvenile bears and bears that pose a danger to humans are also poor candidates. More research will be conducted in order to better determine suitable candidates for relocation.

Hunting

Government recognizes hunting as an important part of our heritage that is enjoyed by thousands of British Columbians, has spiritual and cultural significance to First Nations and others, provides food for many people and generates more than $100 million in revenue - mostly in rural areas. Hunters also have a long tradition of contributing to projects to maintain and improve wildlife habitat.

We have concerns that in some areas population estimates have been inaccurate and have led to the over-hunting of Grizzly Bears. In consideration of the gaps in our knowledge, we must be sure to set limits on hunting that are sustainable.

The issue of hunting Grizzly Bears has polarized groups and individuals across the province, and the debate continues. The world's leading experts disagree on the long-term effects of hunting on Grizzly Bear sustainability. Since we are unsure as to the full effect hunting has and will have on grizzlies, we need to ensure that we are conservative in setting hunting limits until better information is available.

The government is taking a number steps to ensure that hunting does not exceed sustainable levels:

• All areas of the province still open to Grizzly Bear hunting will be placed on Limited Entry Hunting (LEH), the province's lottery system for the allocation of limited hunting opportunities.
• There will be a Habitat Conservation Fund (HCF) surcharge on all bear species hunting licences. The HCF fee will be collected at the time the license is purchased. Revenues will be returned directly into Grizzly Bear research and inventory. The fee will be $5 for residents of British Columbia and $30 for non-residents.
• The government will implement an accelerated program of habitat and population inventory/research to improve population estimates and our confidence in indirect methods of estimating population density.
• Geographic Information System (GIS) maps will be prepared showing the most accurate boundaries for guide-outfitter territories, Management Units (MUs), CORE decisions and new study areas and proposals. Ecologically based areas will be derived, corresponding to approximate geographic population.

The government will continue to conduct ongoing reviews of hunting regulations and Grizzly Bear habitat capability, to ensure that regulations and LEH quotas are updated in order to best protect Grizzly Bear populations.

Bear Viewing

Seeing a grizzly in the wild is an experience that most people would cherish for the rest of their lives. Bear viewing in British Columbia is an emerging form of outdoor recreation that can affect Grizzly Bears and their habitats.

We can consider ourselves fortunate that British Columbia is still able to provide such an experience in settings where it is relatively safe for both humans and bears. However, being watched and photographed can have a negative impact on the wildlife being observed. Viewing bears has special considerations that the viewing of other wildlife does not. The mere presence of humans in bear habitat can create stress for Grizzly Bears and cause them to abandon a habitat, temporarily or permanently. Viewers may also be at risk if bears become too familiar with humans and lose their natural shyness of people.

Research around Grizzly Bear viewing will be conducted in order to make better decisions about managing activities in Grizzly Bear habitats. Research is needed to determine the impacts of bear viewing on bear behaviour and habitats and to determine which Grizzly Bear populations and locations might be best or least suited to this activity.

The trade in bear parts has contributed greatly to the endangerment, extirpation, or even extinction of many populations of Grizzly Bears in Asia. International activity in this illegal business has reached alarming proportions. Although bear trade activity in Canada centres largely on black bears, it may also present serious consequences for Grizzly Bear populations.

In 1993, the provincial government banned the possession, trafficking, importation and export of bear gall bladders, genitalia and bear paws separated from the carcass or hide. The government has taken additional steps to reduce poaching and illegal killing of Grizzly Bears in British Columbia.

Under the Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy, penalties for poaching Grizzly Bears will be increased substantially:

• First offence fines will increase from a minimum of $200 and a maximum of $10,000 to a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $25,000.
• Fines for second and subsequent offences will increase from a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $25,000 to a minimum of $6,000 and a maximum of $50,000.

Enforcement efforts will be stepped up around the province in efforts to further curtail illegal activity.

Education and Public Information

In order for the Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy to be successful, the public must be committed to making it work. Only an informed public will be able to share the government's commitment to Grizzly Bear conservation.

A comprehensive environmental education program is being developed for intermediate and senior secondary-level students that will focus on the Grizzly Bear as a way of explaining concepts of habitat integrity, carrying capacity and ecosystem management. The program will integrate existing government environmental education learning modules.

Because Grizzly Bears and their habitats require a large land base and affect a great number of other plant and animal species, they serve as an ideal focal point for environmental education. By emphasizing the needs of grizzlies, an educational program will also demonstrate the complex web of life and the importance of conservation practices for all creatures. The intent of the program will be not only to raise awareness of the plight of the Grizzly Bear, but also to make real the importance of ecosystem and biodiversity preservation necessary to conserve this species and thousands of others - including our own.

Education of the general public - outside the formal classroom - is critical to the success of the Conservation Strategy. Increased public awareness programs and materials will be developed in order to garner more support for Grizzly Bears and to teach people about how to avoid potential conflicts with bears.

Public information will need to focus on key areas:

• Bear safety: Wilderness is grizzly country, and in a province with as much wilderness as British Columbia, the education of outdoor users is critical. The prevention of conflicts and bear safety is an issue for everyone. By becoming "bear aware" in wilderness, people will be able to better avoid situations that may endanger themselves and bears. Specific informational material will be targeted to outdoor user groups such as campers, hikers, cyclists and hunters.
• Waste management: Improper storage and disposal of waste is perhaps the number-one cause of bear attacks on humans. People must learn how to properly dispose of waste materials both in the wild and at home in order to reduce human/bear conflicts.
• Bear ecology: Better understanding of the ecological needs of Grizzly Bears will help the public to understand the trade-offs between development and conservation and subsequently make better decisions during land-use planning processes around the province.
• Understanding legislation and regulations: Informational packages outlining new regulations and legislation around Grizzly Bear conservation will be made available to guide outfitters and hunters, in order to avoid increases in violations. All regulations are detailed in the annual Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis.

Community awareness programs will be delivered across the province through regional government agencies, including the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Forests, Federal Department of Canadian Heritage and educational programs such as "Project Wild" and "The Green Team". Community and private sector partners will also play an important role in increasing public awareness for grizzlies. Groups such as the Northwest Wildlife Preservation Society have produced bear safety programs, including "Bears in our Backyards" and "Bear-friendly Communities and Schools."

Public Consultation

Government has a commitment to public involvement and consultation with any environmental initiative that might have an impact on resource use.

Throughout the implementation and further development of the Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy, government will be seeking input and comment from First Nations, the general public and interested stakeholders.

The Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy will be integrated with many of the current planning initiatives and land use processes (e.g., PAS, LRMPs, TSA reviews), all of which have a public involvement component. The public is invited to review and comment on the Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy.

International Considerations

British Columbia is the heart of North America's remaining Grizzly Bear range. Much of the present Grizzly Bear habitat is shared between British Columbia and the United States. While British Columbia is home to half of Canada's grizzlies, we also have the fastest growing human population in Canada. We have the responsibility to act now in order to conserve grizzlies in North America. The international spotlight will be upon us as we embark on this ambitious and important conservation strategy.

The conservation of grizzlies requires the cooperation of all jurisdictions in which they occur. British Columbia will take a leadership role in managing Grizzly Bears in North America.

Conclusion

In only a few hundred years since Europeans first set foot on North America, we have managed to wipe out or alienate over half of the Grizzly Bears that once roamed the continent.

British Columbians have the opportunity and the obligation to act now in order to save this powerful symbol of the wild from extinction. Our grizzly population represents over half of the bears left in Canada.

But the grizzly's problems are increasing. As our human population continues to grow, we are very rapidly using up or damaging critical grizzly habitat. In addition, many of our resource needs are in direct competition with the needs of grizzlies.

The government of British Columbia is taking steps to conserve this marvellous creature. Through coordination of existing land-use processes, increased research and education and better resource management, we are leading the way in international Grizzly Bear conservation.

The work has just begun, and much more is still needed. But as all British Columbians work together towards the same goal, we can ensure that the Grizzly Bear - the symbol of British Columbia's wilderness - is guaranteed a future.

Suggested Reading

Banci, V. 1991. The Status of the Grizzly Bear in Canada in 1990. COSEWIC Status Report commissioned by BC Environment, Wildlife Branch; Alberta Forestry, Fish and Wildlife Division; Yukon Government, Department of Renewable Resources, Victoria, B.C.

British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks 1995. Grizzly Bear Conservation in British Columbia: A Background Report. Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Wildlife Branch, Victoria, B.C.

Fuhr, B., and D. A. Demarchi. 1990. A Methodology for Grizzly Bear Habitat Assessment in British Columbia. Wildlife Bulletin No. B-67, BC Environment, Wildlife Branch, Victoria, B.C.

Futuyma, D. J. 1979. Evolutionary Biology. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, Mass.

Harding, L. E., and E. McCullum, Eds. 1994. Biodiversity in British Columbia: Our Changing Environment. Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Vancouver, B.C.

Herrero, S. 1985. Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance. Lyons & Burford Publishers, New York, N.Y.

Lynch, W. 1993. Bears: Monarchs of the Northern Wilderness. Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver, B.C.

Servheen, C. 1992. Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan. 2nd review draft. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Montana, Missoula, Mont.

Van Tighem, K. 1992. Wild Animals of Western Canada. Altitude Publishing, Canmore, Alta.