Bears: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good

The Raincoast Conservation Society purchased the rights for commercial trophy hunting of large carnivores in the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia. This move will help protect resident grizzly and black bears, including the beautiful Kermode bear - a white-colored subspecies of the black bear.

The group, supported by the Central Coast First Nations, will replace the trophy hunt with the more sustainable industry of wildlife viewing and photography.

“We view this unprecedented initiative as part of a larger effort to create a conservation-based economy on the central coast,” said Wuikinuxv Nation chief Alex Chartrand. “Our value system does not support killing animals for trophies and our communities are working hard to develop a sustainable wildlife viewing industry.”

Unfortunately the bears still aren't completely safe. The rights purchased by RCS only cover foreign hunters. Residents from British Columbia still retain the right to hunt large carnivores in the area. Also, habitat in the area is largely unprotected from logging, mining, road-building and general human settlement expansion.

Still, this is such heartening news - especially considering that the $1.35 million paid for the trophy hunting rights was raised by donations from individuals in nine countries. That's a lot of people voting for conservation values with their wallets.

The Bad

Prior to the 1800s the black bear thrived throughout New Jersey. Due to unrestricted hunting the population was almost completely wiped out. By the 1950s less than 100 individuals remained in the state. Hunting was restricted and the population was allowed to partially recover. In 2003 the population was estimated to be 1490 individuals (Link to New Jersey's Black Bear Status Report - see pg.16). It was in 2003 that the first bear hunt in 30 years took place. 328 bears were killed.

The 6 day hunt was not repeated in 2004, but returned this month with a result of about 280 bear deaths. Black bear habitat in New Jersey is decreasing due to human expansion, with a result of more human-bear interaction. And since humans generally can't deal with living near other living things the "interaction" usually concludes with a dead bear. Or 280.

The Ugly

"For anyone who has wondered how global warming and reduced sea ice will affect polar bears, the answer is simple -- they die," said Richard Steiner, a marine-biology professor at the University of Alaska.

Due to melting ice, polar bears are drowning. What else is there to say?


(All photographs courtesy of the MorgueFile)