Grizzly bears seen starving in the rainforests of British Columbia91裸聊视频檚 south coast because there isn91裸聊视频檛 enough salmon to sustain them raises alarm bells for wildlife biologist Wayne McCrory, who91裸聊视频檚 known as a leading bear expert in Canada.
The science is 91裸聊视频渃rying out91裸聊视频� for greater habitat protections for the iconic species as industrial activities eat away at the landscapes the bears depend on, he said.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 a huge amount of protection work that needs to be done that isn91裸聊视频檛 happening, so you can say it91裸聊视频檚 in a crisis mode,91裸聊视频� he said in an interview.
McCrory said the province91裸聊视频檚 draft plan to adjust grizzly management doesn91裸聊视频檛 meaningfully address habitat loss and could prove 91裸聊视频渄isastrous91裸聊视频� for the bears.
He is among the signatories of an open letter sent to provincial officials last week as public engagement closed for the draft grizzly stewardship framework.
The letter published by Pacific Wild and signed by more than 50 scientists, advocates and conservation groups says the proposed plan minimizes the threats posed by the 91裸聊视频渟evere fragmentation91裸聊视频� of grizzly habitat in B.C. by logging, road building and other industrial activities against the backdrop of climate change.
91裸聊视频淚n order to mitigate the massive loss of biodiversity, the B.C. government must also shift from profit-first exploitation of wildlife habitat to the protection of our last remaining intact natural areas,91裸聊视频� the letter says.
The federal government listed the grizzly bear under the Species at Risk Act in 2018, classifying the bears as 91裸聊视频渟pecial concern91裸聊视频� following a recommendation by theCommittee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada six years earlier.
The committee91裸聊视频檚 report said grizzlies are 91裸聊视频渉ighly sensitive to human disturbance91裸聊视频� and concluded that concern would grow without a reversal of the 91裸聊视频渋ncreasing pressures of resource extraction and cumulative impacts91裸聊视频� on their habitat.
The listing is meant to trigger a requirement for governments to produce plans aimed at minimizing the likelihood of the species becoming endangered.
But McCrory said such a plan has not yet materialized for grizzlies in B.C.
He said the new draft framework repeats much of what91裸聊视频檚 already known about grizzly management in the province but lacks what91裸聊视频檚 really needed 91裸聊视频� actions to ensure healthy grizzly populations roam B.C.91裸聊视频檚 landscape for decades to come.
The plan is 91裸聊视频渇uzzy around the edges, without any way of really moving forward to get the on-the-ground habitat protection changes that grizzly bears need today if we91裸聊视频檙e going to have them around 50 or 100 years from now,91裸聊视频� he said.
A statement from the Forests Ministry said the framework was developed with input from approximately 85 Indigenous governments and groups.
91裸聊视频淎 key learning from that process was the different First Nations have different approaches to grizzly bear stewardship. Regionally based planning recognizes and honours this reality,91裸聊视频� it said.
The stewardship framework is what would previously have been referred to as a management plan, the ministry added.
91裸聊视频淭he purpose of the framework and strategy is to engage with First Nations, scientists and the public on supporting grizzly bears and their habitat, to ensure we continue to have a thriving population for years to come,91裸聊视频� said a statement attributed to Forests Minister Bruce Ralston.
In addition to larger protected areas, McCrory said the roughly 15,000 grizzlies in B.C. need a 91裸聊视频渕osaic91裸聊视频� of smaller yet continuous habitats that connect salmon streams to healthy forests, to berry patches and denning spots in the mountains.
B.C.91裸聊视频檚 auditor general delivered what McCrory described as a 91裸聊视频渟cathing91裸聊视频� review of grizzly bear management in 2017, finding the greatest threat to the bears was human activity that degrades their habitat, not hunting that91裸聊视频檚 since been banned.
The B.C. government announced the end of grizzly hunting in December 2017, with some exceptions for First Nations, and pledged to work on 91裸聊视频渞enewed91裸聊视频� strategy.
The draft stewardship framework released earlier this year says there is no 91裸聊视频渙ne size fits all91裸聊视频� approach that works across B.C. and encourages the development of local plans to be initiated by provincial wildlife staff as well as First Nations.
Those plans may then be shaped by local advisory teams consisting of relevant B.C. government staff and 91裸聊视频渋nterested parties such as industry, environmental organizations, independent biologists, and other stakeholders,91裸聊视频� the document says.
McCrory said he91裸聊视频檚 worried the local teams will open decision-making tables to hunting interests and 91裸聊视频渕uddy the waters91裸聊视频� around what really needs to be done.
91裸聊视频淵ou91裸聊视频檙e not going to end up with sound, science-based plans. You91裸聊视频檙e going to end up with, you know, whoever dukes it out and comes out on top,91裸聊视频� he said of the teams.
91裸聊视频淚 grew up in the Slocan Valley and I91裸聊视频檝e worked with many wildlife and conservation groups throughout B.C. and I just know how the backwoods politics works when it comes to conflicts and the grizzly bear trophy hunting,91裸聊视频� he added.
In his statement, Ralston said the province is not looking at lifting the ban at this time, adding members of First Nations continue to have the constitutional right to hunt the bears for food, social, and ceremonial purposes.
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