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