Editor:
In just a few weeks, the annual government-sponsored trophy hunt of grizzly bears in this province will commence.
This is just at the time the bears are emerging from their dens, including females with their young in tow. The bears are hungry after their hibernation and they are easy targets for hunters.
Inevitably, female bears are killed, leaving behind their orphaned cubs to starve – perhaps not far from their mother’s corpse, head and paws having been ‘removed’ as trophies.
The vast majority of British Columbians, including non-trophy hunters, have been calling on the Clark government to end this senseless killing, but to no avail. Instead, the government has just announced it will open four additional areas to the grizzly bear trophy hunt this year.
Last week on CKNW, I listened to photographer and bear-viewing guide John Marriott describe one of the bears in the Chilcotin region called ‘Big Momma.’ She is huge and photogenic – he calls her “a photo tour superstar.” But he adds it is likely she will be an easy target this spring because she has become used to the presence of humans. Unfortunately, she won’t know the difference between a camera and a gun.
It isn’t hard to figure out that a bear is worth more alive than dead. Statistics prove it. A live bear can be viewed and photographed hundreds of times in their lives, while trophy hunting eliminates them completely.
We are so fortunate to have these majestic, iconic symbols of our B.C. wilderness, and I believe that their lives should be respected.
Jacqueline Hohmann, Surrey
