| In March of 2006, the government of
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| | was the incredible callousness of
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| Alberta imposed a ban on the hunting of
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| | pollsters and environmental groups alike
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| grizzly bears for sport. The move showed
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| | when it came to publishing the truth in
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| a considerable lack of reaction when
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| | order to truly measure public opinion.
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| compared to a similar ban by British
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| | When commissioned by the International
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| Columbia in 2001, and indeed a comparison
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| | Fund for Animal Welfare to poll people's
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| of the actions in the two provinces sheds
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| | reaction to the ban, COMPASS directors
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| a lot of light on the ridiculousness of
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| | acted shocked when the numbers reflected
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| the whole scenario surrounding the
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| | a staggering majority favored the ban.
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| decision in British Columbia.
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| | While they did disclose that only 800
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| The moratorium on grizzly bears in
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| | people from around the province (which
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| Alberta was not spearheaded by a
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| | has a population of over 4 million) were
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| coalition of environmental groups who
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| | polled, they forgot to add how many from
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| believe in preservation at all costs. On
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| | each area were included. They did
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| the contrary, it seems as if some of the
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| | disclose that five "areas" of British
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| more famous, if less reputable, groups
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| | Columbia were included in the survey, but
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| such as the World Wildlife Fund were
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| | left out the fact that three of the five
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| totally in the dark about the decision.
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| | were major metropolitan areas whose
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| As late as October of 2006, the WWF was
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| | population are made up mostly of people
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| sponsoring update shows on many stations
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| | who had probably never seen a grizzly
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| wherein Kelsey Grammar called the policy
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| | bear, much less ventured into the
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| regarding the grizzly bear hunt in
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| | wilderness areas they occupied. Comments
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| Alberta into question. It looks like the
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| | by survey director Conrad Winn further
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| WWF missed the bulletin about the new
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| | clarified his institution's approach to
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| policy.
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| | the study, as he suggested that the group
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| The hunt in British Columbia was a
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| | only surveyed people who had recently
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| different matter entirely. The ban came
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| | moved to B.C from the east.
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| about on the eve of an election that was
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| | Wilderness hunting outfitters in Canada
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| to see the annihilation of the highly
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| | and outdoor enthusiasts breathed a sigh
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| unpopular New Democrat Party. In a last
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| | of relief when the Liberals came into
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| ditch attempt to gain some votes, Premier
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| | power and immediately lifted the ban. The
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| Ujal Dosanjh suddenly announced a
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| | province currently sees 400 grizzlies a
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| moratorium on the grizzly bear hunt, a
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| | year harvested, with 60% being taken by
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| program that brought in huge amounts of
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| | resident hunters and the other 40% taken
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| money from foreign hunters and which was
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| | by foreign big game hunters, who make a
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| needed to keep the grizzly population in
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| | major contribution to the province's
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| check. The move was quickly overturned
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| | economy. Bear experts suggest grizzlies
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| when the Liberal party swept into power,
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| | continue to thrive in the province, with
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| and has been kept in place ever since.
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| | suggestions that in order to even keep
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| Among the issues that stand out when
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| | the bear numbers even, the hunt would
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| reaction to the two provinces' policies
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| | need to be doubled. With the current
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| from environmental groups is considered
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| | harvest, many believe that grizzly
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| is how very little input and reaction
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| | numbers will continue to grow, with the
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| there was on the Alberta front.
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| | potential of more bear/human conflicts,
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| Environmental groups suggested at the
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| | livestock predation, and lower numbers of
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| time of the B.C. ban that grizzly
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| | wild ungulates as some of the results. As
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| populations in the entire province were
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| | grizzly bears are highly aggressive to
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| as low as 4,000 bears (this was in
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| | their own species, more numbers of mature
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| contrast to the government numbers of
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| | male bears might mean that less sows and
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| 10,000, which in turn were low compared
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| | cubs are left alive at the end of each
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| to biologist counts which put the number
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| | season due to male kill rates (one study
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| of grizzlies at 12,000 or higher). Best
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| | showed that in three weeks, one Alpha
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| estimates from all sides puts the number
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| | male was responsible for killing and
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| of grizzlies in Alberta at only 700, a
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| | eating nine other grizzlies in his range;
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| figure that is staggeringly low when one
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| | three sows and their cubs of the year).
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| considers that it includes the healthy
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| | It is the responsibility of every outdoor
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| grizzly populations of Banff and Jasper
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| | enthusiast to protect the nature and the
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| National Parks. One can only assume that
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| | animals that remind of why we love the
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| environmental groups missed their
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| | outdoors. As the ludicrous situation in
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| research on the desperate situation of
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| | B.C. demonstrated, however, all people
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| the grizzlies in Alberta, where about ten
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| | truly interested in keeping the wild,
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| grizzlies were taken each year previous
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| | 'wild' must approach controversial
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| to the ban.
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| | matters in an informed manner, with a
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| Another stand-out issue in the B.C. ban
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| | willingness to learn from the facts.
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