This yearB次元官网网址檚 tragic death toll of West Coast black bears due to unsecured attractants has caught the attention and ire of British Columbians who share a soft spot for the region.
During Nov. 23B次元官网网址檚 regular meeting, TofinoB次元官网网址檚 municipal council received a relatively whopping nine letters from people living outside the community all decrying the number of bears killed and demanding action be taken to prevent more deaths.
B次元官网网址淭his news is extremely disturbing to tourists (such as myself and my family) and residents who love your communities and value the wildlife. Many who travel to Tofino and Ucluelet are conservationists, nature lovers, and photographers who expect BCB次元官网网址檚 wildlife to be protected with robust education programs and enforced attractant bylaws for residents and visitors,B次元官网网址� a letter from Vancouver resident Holly Reisner read, in part.
B次元官网网址淢any communities have experienced significant success in preventing unnecessary deaths of bears and other wildlife with education programs (often delivered by volunteer community groups) and with enhanced attractant bylaws that are enforced by municipal bylaw staff.B次元官网网址�
Council received the letters during their Nov. 23 meeting with little discussion, though mayor Dan Law suggested the districtB次元官网网址檚 bylaw department is working on solutions to prevent the tragedies from becoming a new normal.
B次元官网网址淐ouncil is very aware of bear deaths and so is staff and weB次元官网网址檒l be interested to hear what staff brings forward in the near future for dealing with wildlife attractants,B次元官网网址� Law said.
Thirteen bears have been killed around Tofino and Ucluelet so far this year and WildSafeBC Pacific Rim coordinator Bob Hansen is helping both districts draft wildlife attractant management bylaws that he hopes will bring consistent and clear messaging to West Coast residents and visitors.
B次元官网网址淚 know that thereB次元官网网址檚 a very high level of concern in the leadership of both districts and a strong commitment to really take action and to change things for 2022 and the years to come,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really bringing together and coalescing many initiatives and a lot of intentions to do better.B次元官网网址�
He noted similar bylaws are in place in other communities like Squamish, Gibsons and Lilooet.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e well-tested, effective, robust bylaws,B次元官网网址� he said.
He said 2021B次元官网网址檚 black bear deaths were driven by bears being drawn into the communities and finding unnatural and unsecured food sources, like garbage, and that a significant spike in deaths began occurring after travel restrictions were lifted in July.
B次元官网网址淲e saw visitation very quickly increase and an incredible volume of garbage and recycling really strained the capacity to deal with that,B次元官网网址� he said.
He added he received more than 50 reports of property damage.
B次元官网网址淭hat represents thousands of dollars of physical damage, but beyond that it also represents a lot of stress and anxiety for the people in those situations and also concern and the other side of it, seeing the toll that causes in terms of bears,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淭he West Coast communities are really acutely aware now, from all of the media coverage and from personal experiences this year, of the realities and consequences around co-existing with bearsB次元官网网址tB次元官网网址檚 sad that it takes this kind of series of events to really create that resolve to take the actions needed and it takes the efforts of many.B次元官网网址�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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