Archive | Cohabitation between humans and bears in Alberta and British Columbia

Sometimes difficult, the cohabitation of bears and humans is developing in Alberta and British Columbia.

In western Canada, particularly in British Columbia, but also in Alberta, in the Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, live tens of thousands of bears. The cohabitation between these animals and humans is not always easy. However, the latter has been developing for a few decades, as some of our reports show.

There are 25,000 to 30,000 brown bears, or grizzly bears, in Canada, half of which are found in British Columbia.

In addition, British Columbia and Alberta are home to 150,000 and 40,000 respectively of the 380,000 black bears that live in Canada.

These numbers are growing.

This plantigrade is found in several national parks located in western Canada.

Bears are both admired and loved by many Canadians.

The bear is a fearful animal. Generally, he prefers to avoid humans.

Chance can however cause encounters with humans which can be dangerous.

Reporting by journalist François Tremblay on Banff National Park rangers' strategies for avoiding bear-human contact.

Rangers at Banff National Park in Alberta are aware of these risks, as recalled by this report by journalist François Tremblay, presented in Ce soir from Edmonton, June 15, 2001.

Confronted with a population of expanding bears, the latter use multiple tools to scare the bears or prevent them from coming into contact with visitors.

These precautions are deployed, not only to protect humans, but also bears.

Their survival is indeed in danger if they lose their wild instincts and become too familiar with humans .

During the summer of 2014, several people were attacked by bears in Alberta and British Columbia.

Journalist Jessie St-Cyr gives us tips on how to avoid encounters with bears.

This situation led journalist Jessie St-Cyr to propose on July 31, 2014, to Téléjournal Alberta, a guide to the best strategies to avoid being attacked by a bear.

Forget the bells that no longer impress the beast.

Instead, adopt cayenne pepper, projected into the air and not towards the animal or the firecrackers specially designed to scare them.

When camping, also consider picking up what could be considered food.

This precaution includes toothpaste or deodorant which can attract the bear's nose.

Sealable containers, which prevent odors from circulating, are also on sale in outdoor stores.

Some call British Columbia “bear country”.

The Grouse Mountain Outdoor Centre, a refuge for endangered animals since 2001, is 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver.

Journalist Pascale Bréniel went there to report on the research being carried out there to better understand the lives of grizzly bears.

Report by journalist Pascale Bréniel on the Grouse Mountain outdoor center in British Columbia which is home to grizzly bears.

The report, broadcast on the program La Semaine vertedu March 2, 2003, introduces us to four residents of the Grouse Mountain Centre.

Coola, Grinder, Cari and Boo are orphan bear cubs who have become a tourist attraction.

The team, around veterinarian Ken Macquisten, studies their learning process to better reintegrate them into their natural environment.

Scientists discover that even without a mother, cubs instinctively learn to survive.

It is better, however, that two cubs grow up together, because they learn from each other.

The team also worked to teach the four cubs how to hibernate.

They built two dens in the hope that the cubs the following year would survive and then seek to protect in a shelter that has the same characteristics.

Cari and Boo were released in the summer of 2003 at Kicking Horse Grizzly, a huge grizzly bear conservation area in British Columbia, while Coola and Grinder still live at Grouse Mountain .

Report by journalist Christian Milette on the grizzly bear sanctuary in Prince Rupert, British Columbia

On November 29, 2012, a report by journalist Christian Milette, presented on the show C'est ça la vie,takes us to visit the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary in Prince Rupert, northern British Columbia.

Normand Aubin, tourist guide on a cruise ship, describes this expedition to the land of the grizzlies.

For seven hours, passengers will see harbor seals, whales and grizzly bears that thrive in a still very virgin nature.

Grizzly bears, although accustomed to the sounds emitted by boats, allow themselves to be approached… up to a certain distance.

Norman Aubin says the passengers often experience magical moments.

One ​​of the ones he remembers: when a bear decided to retreat to the forest, a little disturbed by all these humans watching him.

On the bridge, everyone remained silent.

The tourists listened, almost contemplative, to the sound of the steps of the bear which sank into the wood.

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