Editor:
Coast Reporter keeps us all informed about what is happening to our local bear population. A great article from Stefan Labbé on Jan. 10 (“Bear advocacy group calls for COS body cams”) gave us the facts and figures (eight years to 2018: 4,341 black bears, 162 grizzlies and 780 cougars killed across the province). Good letter from Sarah Roberts on the 17th (“Bears need preservation”).
These reports do mention the two biggest elements behind all of these deaths but really give no solutions. COS body cams are not the solution. The biggest factor by far is human stupidity – leaving out food waste and then complaining when the bears come calling. People report the bears as being dangerous and the conservation officers have no other option than to kill the bears and their cubs. Number 2 is the hunting lobby. Even though outlawed in 2017, killing bears for pleasure continues.
How to educate certain elements of the pubic? Many have tried, all have failed. A fine after the bears have been killed does not work – the figures in Sophie Woodrooffe’s article (“22 bears destroyed since April,” Jan. 10) confirms this.
Paul Rhodes, West Sechelt
