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Coyotes-Wolves-Cougars.blogspot.com

Grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, coyotes, cougars/ mountain lions,bobcats, wolverines, lynx, foxes, fishers and martens are the suite of carnivores that originally inhabited North America after the Pleistocene extinctions. This site invites research, commentary, point/counterpoint on that suite of native animals (predator and prey) that inhabited The Americas circa 1500-at the initial point of European exploration and subsequent colonization. Landscape ecology, journal accounts of explorers and frontiersmen, genetic evaluations of museum animals, peer reviewed 20th and 21st century research on various aspects of our "Wild America" as well as subjective commentary from expert and layman alike. All of the above being revealed and discussed with the underlying goal of one day seeing our Continent rewilded.....Where big enough swaths of open space exist with connective corridors to other large forest, meadow, mountain, valley, prairie, desert and chaparral wildlands.....Thereby enabling all of our historic fauna, including man, to live in a sustainable and healthy environment. - Blogger Rick

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Saturday, June 23, 2012

For years Wildlife Officials in the USA and Canada have worked under the paradigm of removing so-called" problem Grizzly Bears(those getting too close to human dwellings or hiking trails) from their current territory and relocating them to other remote locations(where it was thought that they would have a better chance of survival)........Down to 700 animals, Alberta declared the Griz "threatened" several years back with a concentration on how to best to perpetuate the species for long-term persistence.........While removal of the Bruins can improve human safety and protect property here and now, long-term research shows that translocated bears generally die prematurely............ In one study, 38 per cent of relocated grizzlies died within two years..........."Trapping bears and moving them does not address the root of the problem and prevent human-bear conflicts over the long term," said Sarah Elmeligi of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society......."Grizzlies will always seek out an easy-to-obtain meal like grain that leaks from farmer granaries or cattle roaming in the foothills unattended"............."Therefore, only a comprehensive government-funded program to help all landowners permanently reduce attractants will create lasting solutions that both protect bears and ensure human safety"

Relocation of Alberta grizzly bears harmful, environmental groups say

Alberta Grizzly Bear




 Conservationists say Alberta's efforts to relocate grizzly bears away from private property and populated areas is harming an already threatened population. There are fewer than 700 grizzly bears in the province. 
 
Environmental groups say they are seeing a disturbing trend in the way the Alberta government has been coping with its threatened grizzly bear population.

A recent report indicates a growing numbers of bears are being trapped and moved away from populated areas by provincial wildlife staff.In 2011, 24 bears were trapped and transferred compared with 13 in 2010 and 16 in 2009."The number of relocations last year was really high," said Nigel Douglas, a conservation specialist with the Alberta Wilderness Association.

"For a species which is threatened, and is supposed to be recovering, it's not enough just to take away problem bears. They really should be looking much harder at what is attracting bears."

Alberta's grizzly bear numbers stand at less than 700 and prompted the government to ban hunting a few years ago and to declare the animals threatened under Alberta's Wildlife Act.
Five grizzly bears have already been killed across the province this year — just weeks after they came out of hibernation. Two were killed by poachers, and another was killed in self-defence. A cub was killed by an adult bear, and the last died after being hit by a vehicle.

Grizzly historic range



Relocated bears die prematurely

While removal can improve human safety and protect property here and now, long-term research shows that translocated bears generally die prematurely. In one study, 38 per cent of relocated grizzlies died within two years.
"Trapping bears and moving them does not address the root of the problem and prevent human-bear conflicts over the long term," said Sarah Elmeligi of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.
"Only a comprehensive government-funded program to help all landowners permanently reduce attractants will create lasting solutions that both protect bears and ensure human safety," she said.
'We would not move a bear unless there's fairly serious potential consequences or already damage that they've caused.'— Dave Ealey, Alberta Sustainable Resources
Alberta Griz



An official with Alberta Sustainable Resources said relocations are the best way to deal with the problem.
"We're not talking about casually doing this. We would not move a bear unless there's fairly serious potential consequences or already damage that they've caused," said Dave Ealey.



"We have a structured approach in determining how to deal with a situation where a grizzly bear may be seen as a potential problem, and we try to ensure as much as possible to prevent the bear from being hurt and people from being hurt."The environmental groups say it appears that grizzlies are looking for an easy meal such as grain from leaking granaries or cattle from herds in Alberta's foothills, and the government should be finding ways to cut off the supply."Bears always come for an easy food source. There isn't the funding to address the root problem," said Douglas.

The province is implementing small-scale actions to reduce foods attractive to bears. The measures include dead livestock storage bins, electric fencing and bear-proof grain bins.

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