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Grizzly attacks plague central coastRecommend this Post on Progressive Bloggers
'We are living in a siege mentality. The bears have taken over,' Bella Coola Valley resident says
Larry Pynn, Vancouver Sun
Published: Saturday, March 31, 2007
Juanita Neidrauer got into the alpaca and llama business to feed her gentle art of weaving and spinning. Little did she know that six of her native South American animals would meet a violent end, victims of a male grizzly bear's one-night killing rampage on B.C.'s central coast.
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5 comments:
Just to clarify Jeff, the man who said residents are "in a siege mentality" was well known bear hunting activist Gary Shelton. Shelton used to hunt grizzly bears, and has written several books on bear attacks, which I've read. I saw him speak in Cranbrook, interesting fellow, but his entire thesis revolved around justifying the bear hunt. If you listened to him, the lands are awash in grizzlies, because of misinformed biologists and habitat extremists.
Sure, but Steve...BEARS!!!
:)
There have always been bears in BC. There haven't always been alpacas. Think about it, they're almost as silly as sheep when it comes to looking out for themselves. Surely someone must have told this woman that she was basically setting up a food court in bear country???
As a British Columbian and a bear lover, the siege mentality guy is likely a hunter or guide who makes mega bucks taking "sports hunters" out to shoot bears. Surely someone told this woman that a LOT of hunters would be out blasting at whatever moved...??? No? Likely not I figured.
Bears are having quite a hard time in BC of late, what with the pine beetle infested forests which animals abandon for greener pastures, and with the low snow pack, terrible river accidents affecting the salmn runs, drought last summer and fall cutting out the berries and smaller critters which make up the average bear's menu, well, you can guess what happens.
Sounds like Gary Shelton is gearing up the locals for a big b'ar hunt and there's nothing like a little lady menaced by a bruin to bring out the brutes. Bear rugs all 'round and pip pip for the victors!
yay
Go Bears!
I am going to Bella Coola this summer - with my husband and my brother, the reformed bear hunter (his theory on bear attacks is that it is our own fault for encroaching on their territory, and they are only fighting back - it would be interesting to see him debate this fellow. Hopefully we meet him).
I guess we will not be staying in a tent after all. I do hope to see some bears from the safety of my cabin window though!
cobert hates bears, but he may offer a compromise on this issue. after all, the bear was taking out "illegal aliens" ;-)
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