Latest News and Posts http://www.bearsmart.com/news-releases en Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:54:28 +0000 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:27:24 +0000 http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html admin@bearsmart.com http://www.bearsmart.com/media/514 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/514 Spring is in the air. Flowers are blossoming and the chirping of birds is everywhere. Now let’s kill some bears. Well at least that’s what the B.C. Government thinks spring is all about. Every year, trophy hunters are allowed to kill bears in northern B.C. for sport. According to the B.C. Government in a statement called “Protecting B.C.’s Grizzly population,” the Grizzly bear population can be sustained and still allow for nine per cent of bears to be hunted. Although they said only six per cent usually are. They haven’t said anything about the black bear population. The David Suzuki Foundation has sent out a letter frowning on the B.C. Government for allowing this practice to continue. “The results are devastating. In the 30 years that the government has kept records, close to 11,000 grizzly bears have been killed in B.C., 88 per cent of them by sport hunters,” said the Foundation. The only bears not allowed to be killed are the white Spirit Bears or Kermode bears, which were represented at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. Remember the giant lit up bear? That was the Spirit Bear. It seems that the bear hunt is about as popular to Canadians as the seal hunt; a McAllister poll said that 79 per cent of Canadians oppose the hunt. When it comes to questionable practices it’s best to follow the money, and according to the Government the hunt generates $120 million a year. The David Suzuki Foundation and Dean Wyatt of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association said it’s unnecessary for bears to be killed since tourists will pay a lot of money just to photograph wild bears. Each bear killed is one less bear that tourists will pay top dollar to photograph,” said Wyatt, “Only a total ban on trophy hunting will ensure that bear populations can support the high-end viewing operations that add valuable income to coastal communities.” Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:54:28 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/513 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/513 There will be no grizzly bear hunt in Alberta this year. The Province has extended its three-year moratorium on grizzly bear hunting for 2010. "It's impractical to try and establish all the different guidelines in the recovery plan to consider a hunt for this year," said Alberta Sustainable Resource Development spokesperson Dave Ealey.The Province released its new status report on grizzly bears in Alberta last week. It says there are 691 grizzly bears in Alberta up from an estimated 350 bears prior to the report. DNA samples revealed grizzly bears range in density from five to 18 bears per 1,000 square km. The Livingstone population, which extends west of Calgary to Waterton and includes Bragg Creek, reports 89 bears or 11.8 bears per 1,000 square kilometers. The last status report came out in 2002 at which time the Endangered Species Conservation Committee recommended the Province deem grizzly bears a threatened species. Due to limited population information the Province did not follow through, but it established the Alberta Grizzly Bear Recovery Team that established BearSmart educations programs across the province among other initiatives. The Endangered Species Conservation Committee will reconvene to look over the new status report and make an updated recommendation to the Province, as it's very difficult to set a target for habitat capability for bears. Lisa Flaman, the education and volunteer director at the Cochrane Ecological Institute, wants to see these numbers increase further, but fears it will be difficult with a reduced habitat to support them. "It's the increased fragmentation, increased use in their areas that is causing problems. Grizzlies used to expand all across Alberta. They used to be a prairie species, now they're up in the clearings in the alpine areas because it's the closest thing to their real habitat," said Flaman. "I would assume the reason why their numbers are so low right now is likely due in part because that is all the habitat can support," she said. "If we can move out of areas that we have currently been using for recreation then maybe the numbers can increase." The status report also suggests that reducing human-caused mortality and motorized access to habitat are important for a self-sustaining grizzly bear population Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:46:30 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/512 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/512 The province's recently released grizzly bear numbers don't tell the full story of what's needed to help Alberta's grizzly populations, Alberta conservationists say. Jim Pissot, the executive director of Wild Canada Conservation Alliance, and Nigel Douglas, Alberta Wilderness Association conservation specialist, both see the report as a call to the government to limit motorized access to grizzly habitat. "Reducing human caused mortality and particularly regulating motorized access to core habitat is absolutely essential to recovering this population," he said. "The report makes that clear, page after page. "The areas, say from Hinton all the way down to Crowsnest Pass, the bears in those units are relatively isolated from other bears in Western Canada," he said. The report calls the area south of Highway 16 (connecting Edmonton to Jasper) a "population sink," which could support a sustainable population if human caused mortality — it highlights motorized access — is reduced. Pissot said that on the Eastern slopes, it's the narrowness of the habitat available to bears that makes it important to protect their land more actively. The more isolated a population, the greater the number of mature bears needed to sustain a population, he said. "Bears just occupy a thin ribbon," he said, "between the height of land and the human populated, agricultural and acreage-populated land to the East. "They occupy a thin ribbon, they are not well connected to other populations of bears and there is a huge amount of human activity following the seismic lines, the timber and oil and gas roads — and fueled by the number of off-road vehicles in large populations such as Calgary." The new status report on grizzly bears underlines some of the work being done by the AWA on the Bighorn area for quite a while, Douglas said. The Bighorn region's western edge — west of the Forestry Trunk Road — the area which abuts Banff and Jasper National Parks, has been identified as an area that may be seeing declining numbers of grizzly bears and with the report's recommendation that motorized access be reduced in these areas, it seems to bolster AWA calls for change in that area, Douglas said.AWA has been advocating protecting the area as a wildland park. "We've had a focus on the Bighorn area for many, many years," Douglas said. "We've been arguing for better protection in the bighorn area since the 1970s." It used to be part of the national parks in the late 1800s when Banff National Park was first created, he explained. But it was shortly thereafter removed. It was also protected by the province in 1987, he said and then unprotected over a decade later. "It's had kind of a checkered history," Douglas said. "Basically motorized access wasn't allowed in Bighorn, but there's never been any enforcement to stop it and in 2002 rather than trying to enforce the rules they decided to try to figure out how to manage it." AWA feels that there should not be motorized access in there, Douglas said. Partly because it's an important source of clean drinking water . . . and partly for the effects on wildlife such as grizzly bears." AWA's main concern is with quad use in the area. And though their initial focus on the area wasn't limited to grizzly bears, better planning of access was a primary concern. Pissot too is calling for designated off-road areas in "appropriate places" and off-road vehicle trails that offer responsible recreational opportunities, but he said that these routes must not penetrate into areas that are essential for the recovery of Alberta's grizzly bear population. Dave Ealey, communications person for Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (SRD), also said that reducing motorized access to core habitat areas was important. And that the report reinforced the work being undertaken by the province's 2007, Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan. And while Ealey could not say whether the established number of 691 Alberta grizzly bears would meet a provincial target, or not, he said: "Certainly it's important to have the populations as stable as possible, and the populations in as much of the accessible habitat as possible and that's a part of what's in the recovery plan and we're already working towards that, we're already working towards trying to find the best ways to manage access. "And where we want to have the greatest priority is in the core grizzly bear areas." There are also secondary grizzly habitats that are farther out from the eastern slopes that will also be monitored and where SRD will also want to ensure that there's still habitat for grizzly bears there, he said. The task of regional SRD staff in the future, he said, will be to put conditions and work with industry and recreational users in areas where grizzly bears live to reduce human impact and reduce human encounters with grizzly bears in grizzly habitat. A recovery plan doesn't necessarily mean that every grizzly bear population needs work, Ealey said. But Canmore's right in the middle of bear country and with a concentration of residential areas and highways, it is an areas that is of high priority to put access management techniques in place. Alberta's Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC) has a meeting March 12 where they will discuss a recommendation to be put forward to Sustainable Resource Development Minister Mel Knight for a designation for the animal. ESCC recommended a designation of threatened status for grizzly bears in 2002, but that recommendation was not accepted at the time. This 2010 update is a response to a contested 2002 report that lacked the modern scientific techniques, such as DNA analysis that this report employs. The previous grizzly status report, Ealey said, was dependent on several studies, which had been conducted over a long period of time. The 2002 report, he added, made assumptions that, through follow-up work, were found to be less accurate than needed to be. "There could be just the same number of bears back then as there are now, we've just found a better way to count them this time around," he said. Importantly for SRD, the 2010 report will establish a benchmark by which changes in grizzly populations can be monitored. And though the province did not accept ESCC's recommendation for threatened designation in 2002, it has since improved its knowledge of bear mortalities and bear populations, and can now make a better assessment of whether Alberta's bears can sustain themselves, he said. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:46:56 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/511 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/511 Tuesday, March 9 2010 BRATTLEBORO - State Biologist Forrest Hammond received his first report of bear tracks in the snow last week, and with those reports expected to increase daily, Hammond is reminding people that it is time to take the bird feeders in. A black bear was killed in Dummerston last year after it was found roaming around a populated area and Hammond wants to keep the same thing from happening this year. "It's getting warm outside and it's time to take the bird feeders down," Hammond said Friday. "The males are wandering around and they are hungry." Hammond is head of the state bear program with the Fish and Wildlife Department and he said the best way to keep humans and bears separate is by keeping the animals away from backyard food sources. Bears are highly intelligent, Hammond said, and they are likely to return to a yard if they found food there last year. Hammond recommends that bird feeders stay down until the first significant snowfall in December to make sure bears stay away from populated areas. "If they don't find a food source then they won't hang around," said Hammond. "They have not had water or food for five months and if they sense a food source, then they are going to go to it." Hammond said the bear population in Vermont is strong and growing, and as more homes are built in rural areas the chance for encounters is going to increase. The bear report he received last week was from Windsor County. "We are getting reports of bears getting into bird feeders in southern Vermont and at low elevations," Fish and Wildlife Col. David LeCours said. "We are urging people to help by removing any food sources that may tempt the bears." LeCours pointed out that food sources will draw the animals into backyards, which can lead to game wardens having to kill the bears. "We care about these bears as much as anyone," LeCours said. "Having to destroy one that has become a threat to human safety is not a pleasant experience, and we know that moving them to another location doesn't change their behavior. They continue to seek food near people because they have learned that it works." Along with removing bird feeders LeCours reminded people to not leave pet food outside, to wash down barbecues, and to secure garbage containers. Vermont law prohibits a person from killing a bear that has been attracted to artificial bait and the fine for doing so can be as high as $1,000. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:30:39 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/510 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/510 A large amount of grain was spilled Friday by a CPR train around 500 metres east of the Banff train station, worrying conservationists about the safety of wildlife. "The pile has already attracted wildlife to the site," said WildCanada Conservation Alliance's Jim Pissot. Considering the grizzly bear status report that was released by the Alberta government on March 3, people should do everything they can to keep grizzly bears alive, Pissot said. The report estimates that only 359 mature breeding grizzly bears are found on provincial lands and within Waterton Lakes national park and portions of Banff and Jasper National Park. The low amount has some conservationists calling for the grizzly to be listed as endangered. Alberta's Endangered Species Conservation Committee states that if a population has fewer than 1,000 mature adults, it should be listed as threatened. And if there are under 250 mature adults, it should be listed as endangered. Bears will soon be coming out of their dens, and one black bear has already been seen wandering outside of its den, according to Alberta Parks officials. Grain spills attract all species of animals that eat grain, including grizzly bears, black bears, elk, deer, and birds of all kinds, Pissot said. "It appears this car has a significant problem with one of the hopper gates," Pissot said. "Spillage was evident more than a kilometre from the major spill." Pissot informed Ken Roberge at CPR about the spill, and Roberge replied that it would be cleaned up by a railway vacuum car on Monday. "About five kilometres east of the spill there was still enough grain to attract and reward wildlife in the area," Pissot said. "In Canmore, a few bits of grain were visible as well." Pissot has also been trying to get a dumpster to receive spilled grain from vacuum trucks put at the siding by Gap Lake for this summer. CPR has placed a dumpster for such purposes there for several years, he said. But in May of 2006, the vacuum truck simply dumped large piles of grain beside the tracks. The piles quickly attracted at least a dozen black bears that began feasting on the piles of food. Although it was removed, several bears have been killed by trains near that location, including female grizzly bear 71 and her cub, who were killed by trains last year. Her other cub was captured and relocated to Fort St. John, where he was subsequently killed. Pissot said bears remember where the grain was. "When they closed the dump in Yellowstone National Park," Pissot said. "Bears were still coming to the site more than a decade later, to take a look." Pissot thanked the railway for their attempts at cleaning up grain, "But we repeat over and over what should be done. They should document every encounter with a bear they see on the railway and record what happens when trains intercept bears, so that we can have a better idea of what happens when bears and trains meet on the tracks." Between September of 2000 and June 6, 2009, nine female and five male grizzly bears in the Bow Valley and Banff National Park have been killed by trains or were fatally injured. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:26:53 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/509 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/509 New Jersey’s black bear population has soared to nearly 3,500, a level that can no longer be controlled solely by non-lethal methods, a wildlife biologist said today as the state Fish and Game Council adopted a management policy recommending a six-day hunt in December. The biologist, Patrick Carr, said the main reason for the growing population is the abundance of food state residents willingly and unwillingly provide. The result, he said, is that the bruins are living longer and giving birth to more cubs than bears in other parts of the country. Carr said that in New Jersey, black bears start to breed when they are 2 or 3 years old. In other parts of the country, the age is 4 or 5, he said. Litters are larger, too, with bears in New Jersey averaging three cubs per litter compared to two cubs per litter for bears living in national parks elsewhere. And bears in New Jersey are living longer; the oldest female tracked in New Jersey is 26 years old. Because of their favorable living conditions, adult survival rate is "extremely high," with 86 percent of adult bears surviving each year and 70 percent of cubs surviving their first year, Carr said. "They’re not food-stressed because we have such a diverse habitat so the cubs are getting tremendous resources, which is increasing their survival rate," he said. Though bears have been sited in all 21 counties in New Jersey, the highest concentration is in the northwestern corner of the state, north of Route 80 and west of Route 287, said David Chanda, director of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.As the bear population grows, the number of complaints about them has also risen. There were 1,417 bear calls logged to fish and wildlife officials in 2007. The number rose to 2,820 in 2008 and 3,006 last year, according to the management policy adopted today. Most of the complaints last year — 1,274 — were so-called category III — sightings of bears that do not present any nuisance. Another 1,477 calls were classified as Category II — bears that create a nuisance, such as raiding garbage cans, but are not a threat. The remaining 255 calls were Category 1 incidents, in which the bruins pose an immediate threat to life and property by breaking into homes, attacking livestock or destroying agriculture. The management plan will now be presented to acting Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin. If he accepts it, public hearings will be held before it is formally adopted. Martin would ultimately decide whether a hunt would be held. If it is, it would be the first in New Jersey since 2005. Gov. Chris Christie has said he supports a hunt while opponents say the state hasn’t done enough to address residential trash problems that bring bears into contact with humans. ‘‘I intend to scrutinize this proposed policy to make sure it provides the best possible solutions to the considerable challenge of managing this valued wildlife resource in the nation’s most densely populated state,’’ Martin said in a statement today. Janet Piszar, director of the Bear Education and Resource Group, called the report a "smokescreen" and said it was based on "junk science." Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:21:19 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/508 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/508 LAKE COUNTY, Fla. -- You say bears keep taking your garbage and redistributing it around your yard?  Well, do something about it. At this year's Florida Black Bear Festival, held on March 27, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have a challenge for everyone. Figure out a way to keep them out of your garbage. If you can do that, you can win one of three $100 gift card to Lowe's. The idea is to create something that can be used by everyone, so leave the Rube Goldberg contraptions at home, and keep the unit cost under $150 (way under $150, if possible). The rules are pretty easy: Make it impossible for a bear to access your 95-gallon garbage container, but easy for a person to do it in 5 seconds. The FWC has a panel of bears ready to test the designs; they're in captivity in Tallahassee. The Black Bear Festival is held each March in Umatilla, at the southern end of the Ocala National Forest, a habitat for Florida Black Bears. It will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 27, at Cadwell Park on Cassady Street. Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:33:07 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/507 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/507 Minister mulls reinstating spring hunt even as gov't report recommends bears be listed as threatened species After eight years of research, studies and consultations over the status of the province's grizzly bear population, Alberta appears to be back where it began. Alberta's Endangered Species Conservation Committee is poised to reiterate its recommendation to the provincial government that grizzlies be listed as a threatened species. It made the recommendation in 2002 based on estimates there were fewer than 1,000 grizzlies in the province. When the committee meets Friday, it will have a hard number -- 691 grizzlies. After the province spent $2 million and five years to count the bears with state of the art DNA-based methods, it now appears that despite hunter claims to the contrary, the committee's concerns were justified. The international measure for listing a species as "threatened" is 1,000 mature adults. The latest Alberta status report suggests there are fewer than 360 mature adult grizzly bears. Critics see this as zero hour for Alberta's grizzlies. Given the delay, they say it's a good thing the grizzlies weren't in immediate peril, but the government better act now by closing roads in core grizzly habitat and taking measures to protect bears. The critics -- a wide array of environmental and conservation groups -- say the only positive action the government has taken through a succession of four cabinet ministers is the suspension of the annual spring grizzly bear hunt in 2006. But new Sustainable Resource Development Minister Mel Knight has revealed even that is not carved in stone. "A harvest opportunity is part and parcel of good wildlife management," Knight said in an interview. "I am not going to stand here and prejudge anything that could happen in the future. Let's take the scientific facts and the evidence that's there and apply some rationale and reasoning and make a decision and decide whether or not a harvest is an appropriate thing to do." Knight, MLA for Grande Prairie -- Smoky, concedes there's already a lobby for the resumption of a limited hunt in northwestern Alberta next year in the relatively undisturbed Grande Cache area. The most recent data suggests the area is home to as many as 18 bears per thousand square kilometres. "There are areas in the province where the grizzlies are quite thin on the ground and areas where they are more plentiful," Knight says. "There are places where people are going to say: 'Why don't you allow some harvest in a certain area?' "The other side of the coin is a number of groups inside and outside of Alberta and internationally have taken up the cause of the grizzly bear. It is an icon to people and there's pressure from that side to absolutely resist any sort of harvest." Knight suggested it may come down to a safety issue. The Grande Cache area had 66 grizzly bear occurrences last year, ranging from grizzly sightings to attacks on livestock. "First and foremost, the protection of people and the safety of individuals in Alberta is part of this whole issue," he says. Hunters say the latest study supports their contention that a limited hunt can be sustained. "We're looking to get our hunt back," says Alberta Fish and Game Association president Quentin Bochar. "I think now that the numbers are out, it's time the government comes out with a responsible management plan that includes hunting in it. There was never a justifiable or scientific reason for suspending the hunt." Brian Bildson, of the Willmore Wilderness Foundation, says hunting has a limited impact on grizzly bear mortality and is an effective tool for managing problem bears. But the report, titled the Status of the Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) in Alberta, says any additional human-caused grizzly mortality in areas of the province, other than the Grande Cache unit, "may be unsustainable." It warns, too, that the industry-driven pressures on grizzlies in the rest of the province will eventually reach the Grande Cache area. Overall, the tone of the report by Marco Festa-Bianchet is cautionary. "Given the large numbers of uncertainties involved, the precautionary approach is to conclude that currently the population is likely slowly declining and may not sustain any additional human-caused mortality," it states. University of Alberta biology professor Mark Boyce, who has studied grizzlies in Yellowstone and Alberta, says he believes that biologically, a limited hunt could be sustained, but it will be "a political hot potato." "It's certainly possible. It's not a biological question; it's really a political one. I am glad I don't have to make the decision. The minister will catch flak no matter which way he goes." Carl Morrison of the Sierra Club of Canada warns that resuming the hunt would be a huge blight on the province's reputation -- as if it needed another one. "All the evidence points to the fact that we're dealing with a threatened species in Alberta," he says. "I can't imagine this looking too good for Alberta's international image if we were to open a hunt on a threatened species during the International Year of Biodiversity." Additional Stories on this Topic: Metro Calgary, March 08 2010 Conservationists bear down on talk of grizzly hunt Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:23:16 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/500 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/500 A state wildlife agency is reminding Middlesex and Worcester County residents living near black bear habitat to remove bird feeders and other potential food sources before the hungry mammals emerge in coming weeks from hibernation. The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, known as MassWildlife, warns that there is little natural food this time of year and that bears are attracted to high-energy bird seed, leading to possible conflicts between bears and residents. Even if a feeder is inaccessible to the foragers, they are attracted by the scent of seed and suet and remember the location of seasonal feeding spots. And although they are normally fearful of humans, the availability of food and a lack of harassment can embolden them, the agency says. Black bears typically start waking from hibernation in mid-March but can emerge sooner. While the majority of the state's 3,000 black bears live west of the Connecticut River, they can be found as far east as Worcester and northern Middlesex counties. For more information on bears, visit www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/wildlife/living/living_with_bears.htm Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:46:28 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/499 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/499 FAIRBANKS - Interior hunters won't have to spend $25 on a brown bear tag this season.The Alaska Board of Game on Monday voted to eliminate brown bear tag fees in all Interior region game management units.The game board is holding a 10-day meeting at the Westmark Hotel in Fairbanks. After two days of hearing public testimony, the board began debating and voting on more than 130 proposals submitted to change hunting and trapping regulations in the Interior.Eliminating grizzly tag fees will cost the Alaska Department of Fish and Game about $45,000 but should give Interior hunters a chance to tap into what state wildlife officials say is healthy Interior grizzly bear population."This is not widespread predator control in Region III, I can see where people would look at it like that," board member Ted Spraker of Soldotna said. "All we're doing is providing additional opportunity."The game board eliminated tag fees in game management units 12, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26B and 26C.Grizzly tag fees in several Interior units have been eliminated in recent years and harvest in those units showed only a slight increase, state wildlife biologist Doreen Parker-McNeil with the Department of Fish and Game told the board.Most grizzly bears in the Interior are taken incidental to other hunts, and having no tag fee will allow all hunters to shoot a grizzly if they see one."It's not a revenue generator," board chairman Cliff Judkins said of the tag fees. "This is meant to increase opportunity if critters are available."In addition to getting rid of grizzly bear tag fees in Interior hunting units, the board also voted to: - Allow registered guide-outfitters to register up to 10 black bear bait stations at a time in units 12, 19, 20, 21, 24 and 25, as long as they are established and maintained by the guide-outfitter, licensed class-A assistant guides or assistant guides. The guide-outfitter must have a signed guide-client agreement. - Eliminate black bear sealing requirements in areas where harvest tickets or registration permits are required. - Allow black bear hunters in unit 20 the option of salvaging the hide or meat or both from June 1 to Dec. 31. The board rejected a proposal that would have established an earlier season for resident Dall sheep hunters than nonresident hunters in the Interior by one week, as well as a proposal to open black bear baiting season in units 12, 19, 20, 21, 24 and 25 two to three weeks earlier.Opening the sheep season a week earlier for residents than nonresidents in the Interior would create an influx of hunters, board members agreed."I think it would put a lot more pressure on the mountain," Judkins said. Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:42:58 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/498 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/498 FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. - When Florida's black bears come in contact with humans it often results in a death sentence for the bear involved, but it doesn't have to be that way. An event to let people know about ways to live responsibly in bear country will feature some simple steps residents can take to coexist with the Florida Black Bear. Dave Telesco, a bear expert with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, says securing trash would be a huge step in the right direction. "Even in the neighborhoods that are kind of relatively new and right in the smack-dab middle of bear habitat, bears have no reason to linger if they don't have food." Telesco says those who have studied bears that interact with people often say "a fed bear is a dead bear," and that feeding starts with unsecured trash. "The number-one is garbage. If we got a handle on garbage, that would really solve most of the problem." M.C. Davis is a naturalist at the Nokuse Plantation, a 48,000-acre private conservation tract in the Florida Panhandle. He says these bears would much rather not have anything to do with people. "There's never in history, and I'm talking about the entire recorded history of Florida ever, not once has there been a documented attack by a black bear." Special bear-proof trash containers, along with securing bird feeders and grills, are some easy ways to stop unintentionally attracting bears to the buffet. The program on Saturday at the Emerald Coast Conference Center in Fort Walton Beach will feature the premiere of the film "Living with Black Bears," and information on bears from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Nokuse Plantation, Eglin Air Force Base, and Defenders of Wildlife. The event on Saturday, March 6, will offer film showings at 9:45 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:36:43 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/news/504 http://www.bearsmart.com/news/504 An updated grizzly bear status report released today by the Alberta government confirms shockingly low numbers of mature breeding grizzly bears in Alberta and highlights  the urgency of reducing the number of grizzly deaths in the province. Conservationists now assert that there is no longer any reason to delay necessary recovery actions, including listing the grizzly as Threatened under the Alberta Wildlife Act,  limiting the densities of roads and reducing the amount of motorized access in prime grizzly habitat, and implementing effective public education and conflict prevention programs. Today's report, entitled Status of the Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) in Alberta : Updated 2010, estimates only 359 mature breeding grizzly bears are found on provincial lands and within Waterton Lakes National Park and portions of Banff and Jasper National Park . "This figure is tragically low and strongly supports listing the grizzly as Threatened or Endangered under Alberta 's Wildlife Act," says Carl Morrison with Action Grizzly Bear. In 2002, Alberta 's Endangered Species Conservation Committee recommended the grizzly be listed as Threatened but the government has so far failed to act on the recommendation. The report points to the need to reduce human-caused grizzly bear deaths in Alberta . According to Cathy Shier, CPAWS-Northern Alberta, "The amount of motorized access in prime grizzly habitat must be reduced and human activity that results in human-bear conflict must be curtailed." "Unfortunately, the Report states that progress on controlling access has been limited to some mapping and an Access Management Working Group convened well over a year ago. To date, there are no approved plans to manage access," says Wendy Francis of Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative. Public education and conflict prevention programs, such as the Alberta BearSmart program, have great potential to reduce human-caused deaths, but they must be adequately resourced to be effective. Jim Pissot of the WildCanada Conservation Alliance notes, "The Report mentions that Alberta 's entire BearSmart budget is only $150 000 per year, compared to the $4.5 million Ontario dedicates to its BearSmart program. Why won't Edmonton invest what's needed for this win-win partnership program?" "This government inaction and lack of funding does not reflect the high value Albertans place on the conservation of our species at risk," says Nigel Douglas , conservation specialist with the Alberta Wilderness Association. "As action to recover this iconic species is delayed, the greater is the cost, the time required and the probability of failure." "As stated in the report, it takes an instant to kill an adult female grizzly bear, but it takes many years to replace her," notes CPAWS' Southern Alberta 's Sarah Elmeligi. "Albertans and Alberta 's grizzly bears cannot afford anymore government delays." Contacts: Sierra Club Canada : Carl Morrison 780-439-1172, Edmonton , AB Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society:  Cathy Shier via 780-432-0967( Edmonton ), Sarah Elmeligi 403-688-8641( Calgary ) Alberta Wilderness Association: Nigel Douglas 403-283-2025, Calgary , AB Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative: Wendy Francis 403-763-8633, Canmore , AB WildCanada Conservation Alliance : Jim Pissot 403-678-0016, Canmore , AB Background: Link to report: http://srd.alberta.ca/BioDiversityStewardship/SpeciesAtRisk/DetailedStatus/documents/Status-GrizzlyBear-inAlberta-Feb2010.pdf Link to report also found on Alberta 's Sustainable Resource Development homepage: http://srd.alberta.ca/ How Alberta determines the status of wildlife: Alberta's Endangered Species Conservation Committee, in consultation with its Scientific Sub Committee, uses the same criteria set forth by the International Union on Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It states: If the population has fewer than: 1000 mature adults it should be listed as Threatened 250 mature adults it should be listed as Endangered   According to Alberta 's Strategy for the Management of Species at Risk (2009-2014): Sec 1.2: Wild species are a keystone to healthy ecological process providing environmental stability with a subsequent benefit to the economic stability of our province and the social and economic well-being of Albertans. This is keystone role is reflected in the high value that the large majority of citizens place on the conservation of species at risk. In plain language, Albertans want to know Endangered species are being protected using our own laws and programs, without the need to turn to federal legislation. Sec 3.3: The ultimate goal of formally designating a species as Threatened or Endangered is to facilitate management and recovery efforts necessary to restore viable populations. Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:27:08 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/503 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/503 A status report on Alberta’s grizzly bear population and habitat, prepared by an independent scientist, is now available online. The status report establishes a new baseline of information using the advanced technique of DNA surveys and other data. The report estimates 691 grizzly bears ranging in density from five to 18 bears per 1000 square kilometres. Some local populations with significant habitat alteration may be declining, other populations appear stable. The report also suggests that reducing human-caused mortality and motorized access to habitat are important for a self-sustaining grizzly bear population. “The status report provides an analysis on current and scientifically accurate data in Alberta,” said Mel Knight, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. “This benchmark information will guide future decisions to ensure grizzly bears remain part of Alberta’s landscape.” The Endangered Species Conservation Committee (ESCC) will use the status report to help make a recommendation on the designation of grizzly bears in Alberta. The ESCC is a multi-stakeholder committee of researchers, conservation groups, ranchers, industry and government. A scientific sub-committee of the ESCC reviewed the report and will provide a status evaluation, in accordance with international criteria, to the ESCC for consideration. The ESCC will recommend a designation to the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development. Grizzly bears can be designated as either Not at Risk, Data Deficient, Species of Special Concern, Threatened or Endangered. Conducting population and habitat assessments were part of Alberta’s Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan, accepted in 2007. Other aspects currently underway include public education and the BearSmart program, hiring and training bear management staff including a carnivore specialist, better managing problem grizzly bears, and a suspension of hunting. “We would like to thank Dr. Marco Festa-Bianchet, a large-mammal expert trained in Alberta, for his thorough work in compiling information on grizzly bear populations and habitat,” said Knight. For further information, including the status report Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos) in Alberta, Update 2010, visit www.srd.alberta.ca.   For further stories on theis topic: CBC News, March 3rd, 2010, Alberta grizzly bears number less than 700   Calgary Herald, March 4th, 2010 Provincial Grizzly Count puts Population Under 700 The Edson Leader, March 10th, 2010 Slightly less than 700Grizzlies in Alberta Acording to Provincial Status Report   Wed, 03 Mar 2010 19:11:06 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/502 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/502 Approximately 2,000 black bears are killed every year in California where it remains legal to hunt bears who weigh over 50 pounds (including cubs) with packs of dogs. The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has now proposed radical changes to bear hunting regulations that would allow even more bear killing. California residents: we need your help to stop this proposal.If approved, the Department's proposal will: allow an unlimited number of bears to be killed across California during the hunting season; permit the use of high-tech global positioning equipment and "tip switches" on dog collars to make it easy to locate and kill a bear at point-blank range; open the first-ever bear hunting season in San Luis Obispo county and expand the hunts in Modoc and Lassen counties; and significantly expand the hound training season thereby allowing dogs to harass bears nearly all year long. The DFG has not demonstrated any need for these regulatory changes other than to allow for greater recreational opportunities for hunters. The DFG proposal makes no mention what detrimental effects these changes would have on bear populations and habitat nor does the proposal suggest that these changes are designed to reduce bear/human conflicts. Take Action!Letters of opposition are needed by March 13, 2010 from California residents. DFG needs to hear from you that you find this proposal unnecessary, inhumane and reckless. California's bears are depending on you! Send a letter through Animal Legal Defense Fund's website today!Please also spread the word and make plans to attend the upcoming Fish & Game Commission meeting where this proposal will be discussed and voted on.Thursday, April 8thBeach Resort Monterey2600 Sand Dunes DriveMonterey, CAThank you for taking action to protect California's black bears! Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:56:51 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/501 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/501 A malnourished yearling black bear was found near Aspen on Monday and taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center near Silt. The bear is at death's door, said rehabilitator Nanci Limbach. ASPEN, Colorado — An underweight, yearling black bear, found Monday on the back of Aspen Mountain, is now under the care of a wildlife rehabilitation center near Silt.A woman found the bear near Midnight Mine Road and brought it to the Aspen Animal Shelter, according to ReRe Baker, animal safety director for Pitkin County. No other information about the bear's rescuer, or how she managed to collect the animal and get it to the shelter, was available.Baker transported the caged bear to the Colorado Division of Wildlife office in Glenwood Springs, where a volunteer with the Pauline S. Schneegas Wildlife Foundation's rehabilitation center picked it up and transported it to the Silt facility.The bear is a year old, and should have come out of hibernation weighing 30-plus pounds, according to the center's founder, Nanci Limbach. The animal weighs 13 pounds.“It's at death's door,” Limbach said. “It still might not survive.”Limbach said it's difficult to know why the yearling emerged from its den now, though it's not unusual for some bears to begin emerging in the first warm days of March. It could have died in its den had it not come out, she said. There's also no way of knowing the bear's circumstances last fall, though it was apparently underweight when it began hibernating.The bear was alert in the cage, and chomping its teeth, according to Baker, who described the yearling as “cute as a button.”Nonetheless, it is still in its lethargic, hibernation state and not willing to eat, Limbach said. The bear is receiving fluid therapy and antibiotics, and being force fed yogurt through a syringe, she said.Limbach hasn't yet determined the bear's gender. Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:52:05 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/492 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/492 Tom Thomson created one of the hottest non-Olympic pins: a totem of a black bear cub and a maple leaf. Some 4,000 are being sold to raise money for educating people about bears. (Baltimore Sun photo by Candus Thomson / February 25, 2010) WHISTLER, British Columbia - Before the Olympics, before the ski resort of Whistler existed, before the athletes' village was built, there were garbage dumps. And those piles of trash attracted black bears like a free keg attracts tailgaters. An estimated 100 bears still live around Whistler Village, showing up at the ski lifts, prowling behind the upscale restaurants and poking around the bobsled track. Fact: Before the start of competition, a black bear wandered to the edge of the track near the top and then scooted under the railing and back into the woods. The sighting startled Canadian luge veteran Jeff Christie, who was waiting to take a practice run. Christie sized up the situation and decided to wait the bear out, telling reporters that in his red speed suit he was afraid he'd "look like a giant salmon." So what's a poor resort to do? You can't be shooting around multimillion-dollar ski homes and kids in their "Hello Kitty" ski outfits. The nonprofit Get Bear Smart Society is running a campaign to get folks to lock up their garbage and to persuade government officials to use bear aversion tactics - similar to what Maryland's Department of Natural Resources does in Garrett County. After capturing a nuisance bear, humans play loud sounds and shoot rubber bullets at the bear's behind as it is released. Sometimes the tough love works and the bear moves on. Bear-human conflicts that end up with the animal being killed have dropped 50 percent over the past decade. But paying for the program isn't easy. During the Olympics, one way has been selling thumbnail-sized pins depicting a bear cub, a Maple Leaf and the word "Whistler." Tom Thomson - no relation - came up with the idea, and paid for making 8,000 "cubby pins." He gave more than half to the schoolchildren in the region. The rest he's selling at markets and shops for $5. Thomson played football in the 1960s for the Edmonton Eskimos - No. 70 - and taught school for 30 years before retiring and winning a seat on the village council last November. He paints, mountain bikes and snowboards when he's not being a one-man Chamber of Commerce. He bought a place in Whistler in 1970 after a skiing trip, when he looked down into the valley and was blown away by the natural beauty. "I've watch it go from a dump to a fairyland," he says of the past 40 years. After his election, Thomson became liaison to two Whistler bear committees. A cubby medallion was planned as a keepsake for athletes who competed in the skiing and sliding events at and near Whistler. But when the Vancouver organizing committee reversed its decision and decided to award the medals for those events in town rather than Vancouver two hours away, Thomson's medallion was downsized. "It morphed from something for athletes to a keepsake for the kids and fans," Thomson says. "It's quintessential Whistler." The cubby pins have been a runaway success. The Get Bear Smart Society wants to place an order for more pins to help fatten its treasury for the lean times after the Olympic crowd leaves. It's my favorite pin of these Olympics. The clock has started on setting regulations for the next two hunting seasons. So far, it appears they might include increased opportunities for hunters of sika deer, turkeys and foxes. The Region A hunting district for white-tailed deer might be expanded from Garrett and Allegany counties to include a hunk of Washington County. Seasons for Regulated Shooting Areas could begin earlier and end later for captive-raised upland game birds and flighted mallards. A meeting of stakeholders added options: Opening bow season for deer statewide on Sept. 5. •Making crossbows legal statewide during vertical bow season for deer, forest game, upland game, furbearers that may be hunted and migratory birds. It would still be illegal to use a crossbow to take waterfowl. •Extending the season for red and gray fox for shooting until Feb. 15 in both furbearer zones. The entire plan can be found on the DNR Web site. Pete Jayne, associate director for wildlife management, says previous proposals have generated a lot of public comment - online and on the DNR Web site, and those comments usually result in some modifications of the package. Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:24:53 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/491 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/491 Jim Martell/CanWest News Service DNA tests confirmed that this bear killed by an American hunter was a cross-bred polar and grizzly bear. Polar bears and grizzly bears, two mighty beasts of the Canadian wilderness, could soon be battling over territory. Hungry grizzly bears are increasingly encroaching on their northern counterparts' territory in Northern Manitoba, according to experts. While flying above Wapusk National Park near Churchill, Man., two years ago, a team of researchers unexpectedly spotted a grizzly bear. "And it wasn't a dirty polar bear or a moose - we saw the hump," said Robert Rockwell, a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. In sheer size, an adult male polar bear is larger than a grizzly, weighing in at an average of 1,200 pounds. A grizzly comes in at about 600 pounds. After the discovery two years ago, Mr. Rockwell, along with graduate student Linda Gormezano, set out to chart the history of grizzly bears in the area. They found there was no record of the animals in the area before 1996. Mr. Rockwell and Ms. Gormezano's findings were recently published in Canadian Field-Naturalist. Researchers have now tried to anticipate the possible effects of grizzly bears encroaching on polar bear territory - particularly dens used by female polar bears and their cubs. "That's going to bring the [two] in physical contact, and at that point you've got adult grizzlies and polar bear cubs, and that could be bad," he said. Adult male grizzly bears can weigh as much as 600 pounds or more, whereas a female polar bear only weighs about 400 pounds. Polar bear cubs are born blind and are very susceptible to predators. There is also concern for the welfare of polar bears because they are already officially listed as "extirpated," which means they are disappearing or retreating from the region, although they still live in other areas. But some scientists speculate that polar bears in Wapusk will move further north as the ice in the Arctic sea retreats as a result of warming temperatures. This could mean the grizzlies won't interact with the polar bears at all. The grizzlies are likely coming from the Rockies, the Yukon and Nunavut and may be on the move in search of better food, Rockwell said. Moose, fish, caribou and berries - prime grizzly bear food - are all plentiful in Wapusk. "The Cree elders [in the region] we talked to feel that now that grizzly bears have found this food source they will be staying," Mr. Rockwell said. "I think what's happened is very simple . . . they have a found a place with lots of food and they aren't going away. They will probably increase in number." The two kinds of bears will then have to learn how to live together, Mr. Rockwell said, although they are unsure at this point if the grizzly population will stick around. "I'm sure that grizzlies aren't stupid. If a 600-pound grizzly is approached by a 1,200-pound polar bear, I'm guessing that grizzly is going to show that polar bear just how fast it can run," he said. "So, I don't see that there will be lots of conflicts like that. It's a huge area. There's lots of food." There is also a possibility the two bears will breed, Mr. Rockwell said. There have been reports of "grolars" in the Northwest Territories. In May 2006, DNA tests confirmed that a strange looking bear killed by an American hunter was the first cross-bred polar and grizzly bear ever discovered in the wild. Jim Martell, who paid $50,000 for guides and a polar bear hunting tag, shot the mid-sized male after his Inuit guide pointed out what looked like a polar bear in the distance. Authorities seized the animal after noticing its polar-bear-white fur was mottled with brown patches, and its eyes were set inside thin circles of black skin. It also bore some distinctly grizzly-like features, including long claws, a humped back and a dished face. After genetic testing showed that the bear was half polar, the bear was returned, and Mr. Martell was spared the hefty fines associated with shooting an animal he was not permitted to hunt. If the grizzly bears are indeed moving south from Nunavut, Gail Whelan Enns said this could mean climate change has affected their diet and access to food. "I think it is worrisome," said Whelan Enns, director of Wildlife Manitoba. "If there's significant enough change and alteration in the habitat they're used to, they're going to get the heck out." Geneticists estimate about 250,000 years ago, some grizzly bears wandered onto the sea ice and discovered a smorgasbord of seals that no animal had yet begun to hunt. Grizzlies have a naturally large variation in colour, and over time the lighter-coloured bears won out on the ice, and gradually the polar bear was born. The two species remain biologically close enough that polar bears and grizzlies have produced fertile offspring in zoos. Daryll Hedman, from Manitoba Conservation, also contributed to the research, which was partially funded by the Hudson Bay Project. Additional Stories: Is it a Pizzly, or Grolar Bear? By Staff Writer, Winnipeg Free Press, March 3rd, 2010 Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:15:51 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/486 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/486 Provincial parks, the Rocky Mountain corridor and a major highway in British Columbia are the main areas where grizzly bears are being killed by sports hunters, according to a new statistical analysis by the David Suzuki Foundation. Using provincial government records the environmental organization plotted on a map the locations where 11,000 grizzly bears have been killed in B.C. over the past 30 years. "It paints a distressing picture," says Dr. Faisal Moola, director of terrestrial conservation for the David Suzuki Foundation. "Our analysis shows evidence of massive hunting mortality along B.C.'s highways, particularly Highway 37 from Terrace to the Yukon border. . . [and it shows] B.C.'s grizzlies are no more protected in our parks than on the side of the road," said Dr. Moola. Northern Rocky Mountains Park (98 bears killed), Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Park (73) and Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Park (53) are the top three B.C. parks in which grizzly bears have been killed. Dr. Moola said hunting is not allowed in national parks but it can take place in provincial parks. "The [provincial] minister has the discretionary power to shut down hunting in a park, but that is not happening," he said. "What we have is a parks system that protects bear habitat, but which doesn't protect the bears themselves." Dr. Moola said the large number of bears killed throughout the Rocky Mountain corridor, from the B.C.-Montana border in the south to the B.C.-Yukon border in the north, is a major concern. "Protecting the Yellowstone to Yukon corridor has been a key focus of environmental organizations for many years, but we can now see that there is no protection for bears that feed and breed in this corridor," he said. Dr. Moola said he is also worried about the high number of bears shot along highways, because it illustrates how roads can concentrate hunting. "One of the things we've always feared is that when you put roads into an area you provide access to hunters who would not otherwise have easy access to grizzly bears," he said. "We mapped point locations [with red dots] for every bear shot and on the map you can see that Highway 37 looks like a ribbon of red," said Dr. Moola. B.C. Environment Minister Barry Penner declined to be interviewed about the province's controversial bear hunt, which has been the focus this week of a newspaper advertising campaign launched by several Canadian and international environmental groups. But Mr. Penner's office did issue a statement, under the heading, "Protecting B.C.'s Grizzly Bears." In point form it states B.C. has Canada's "largest and healthiest" population of grizzly bears - with approximately 16,000 animals. "The B.C. government is committed to protecting B.C.'s grizzly bear population by relying on peer-reviewed published science. There are many competing interests when it comes to managing grizzly bear populations, which range from guide outfitters, resident hunters, the ecotourism industry and others," it states. "B.C.'s policy is to respect all interests while ensuring . . . the number one priority is always the maintenance of a healthy bear population," the release states. The government also stated that bear hunting contributes about $120-million a year to the provincial economy, and while B.C.'s bear population is able to withstand a nine per cent hunting mortality annually, only about two per cent are actually shot. View graph showing grizzly bears killed in British Columbia. Read more stories: Environmentalists seek greater protection for grizzly bears, by Larry Pin, Vancouver Sun, February 26th, Threatened bears slaughtered in B.C. parks: New research shows grizzlies being legally hunted in conservation areas by Castlegar Source Contributor, The Castlegar Source, March 01 2010.   Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:11:45 +0000 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/489 http://www.bearsmart.com/media/489 Ohio is getting wilder out there. Confirmed sightings of both black bears and bobcats increased across Ohio in 2009, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The agency said Ohio had 119 black bear sightings, of which 51 were confirmed by state personnel. That compares with 38 confirmed sightings in 2008. The 51 confirmed sightings occurred in 21 Ohio counties, including Portage and Stark, and involved an estimated 31 different bears, said the Division of Wildlife. Portage County had 15 bear sightings, of which five were confirmed, and Stark had two sightings, both of which were confirmed, said spokeswoman Suzie Prange. Summit County had three unconfirmed bear sightings and Medina had one unconfirmed sighting, she said. Most of the sightings were in Northeast Ohio and south-central Ohio. Ashtabula County had the most sightings with 27. Most of the sightings were reported from May to August, which is the peak of black bear breeding and the dispersal of young male bears that roam. There were four reported sightings of sows with cubs and two reports of cubs alone. Ohio had a record number of bear sightings in 2002: 165. In addition, the state had 92 confirmed sightings of bobcats in 2009, up from 65 in 2008. Most of the bobcat activity was found in Southeast Ohio, the wildlife division said. The elusive cat had disappeared from Ohio by 1850, but returned on its own from neighboring states in the 1960s. Since 1970, state wildlife biologists have verified 359 bobcat sightings in 31 Ohio counties. Verification comes from photographs and tracks, incidental trapping, recovery of road kill and sightings by state personnel. The center of sightings is Noble County and its surrounding counties. Locally, Summit had three unconfirmed sightings in 2009, while Portage had six and Wayne and Medina each had one. There were no confirmed bobcat reports in the five-county Akron area. Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:09:53 +0000