The grizzly bear population in Creston is booming. (Black Press file)
The B.C. Wildlife Federation says human-bear conflict continues to worsen following the provincial government decision to end the grizzly bear hunt, citing recent incidents in B.C. and Alberta
Near Cranbrook, local resident Joe Pendry died from injuries sustained after fighting off a grizzly bear while elk hunting in October. In Alberta, a man hiking near Cochrane survived his injuries after being mauled by a grizzly bear a few weeks ago.
On Nov. 20, a group of school children and a teacher were attacked by a grizzly bear near Bella Coola, with 11 people suffering injuries.
Since the grizzly hunt ended in B.C. in 2017, grizzly-human conflicts have risen dramatically, according to the BC Wildlife Federation.
In the 10 years preceding the ban, calls to the Conservation Officer Service concerning grizzly conflicts ranged from 300-500 a year, peaking between April and November.
Since the ban, calls about grizzly bears doubled to nearly 1,000 a year.
The grizzly hunt ended in B.C. largely due to popular opinion, with no scientific rationale, according to the BC Wildlife Federation, which called the decision “a shortsighted move.”
“With no hunting pressure, grizzlies and humans will increasingly occupy the same spaces with inevitable consequences,” said Jesse Zeman, executive director of the B.C. Wildlife Federation.
Alberta has prohibited hunting grizzly bears since 2006. But the province is eyeing changes in order to reduce human-bear conflict, which could potentially include lifting the ban.
The BC Wildlife Federation says its members in Creston no longer feel safe walking outside due to the rising number of grizzly bear encounters.
“When the hunt was closed we predicted that over time human-grizzly conflicts would increase, but we also know that bears that learn bad behaviours teach those same behaviours to their offspring,” said Zeman. “This will keep getting worse until science-based wildlife management is reinstated.”
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