AR-News: FW: Calgary Herald: Alberta Spring grizzly 'harvest' falls to six bears

[jim robertson]

>
>Alberta Spring grizzly 'harvest' falls to six bears
>
>Feature Story - Calgary Herald
>
>Opponents of Alberta's annual spring grizzly bear hunt say they're relieved 
>only six bears were killed this year but plan to continue lobbying for an 
>end to the harvest over concerns the province's grizzly population is 
>dwindling.
>
>"It's bad news for those six bears, but it is good news because we were 
>bracing ourselves for a lot more to be killed," said Stephen Legault, 
>executive director of the Canmore environmental group WildCanada.net.
>
>"I'd be even happier if it was zero, and I'm hoping that given the public 
>concern expressed about the grizzly hunt over the last six months that 
>ending the hunt next year is a real possibility."
>
>Alberta wildlife officials said Friday that four male and two female 
>grizzly bears were harvested by hunters during the six-week season that ran 
>from April 1 to May 15 in most areas of the province.
>
>The number of successful hunts is down substantially from previous years, 
>including last year's hunt, which saw 18 bears taken by hunters.
>
>Officials said the 2004 hunt is considered a success because only two 
>females were killed.
>
>"Part of our objective is to keep female mortalities lower and this is the 
>second year where that has happened," Alberta Sustainable Resource 
>Development spokeswoman Donna Babchishin said.
>
>"We took a conservative approach this year and that is reflected in harvest 
>numbers."
>
>Hunters say the government's decision to shorten the hunting season to six 
>weeks from eight was likely the biggest factor in the reduced kills since 
>most of the grizzly hunting occurs in the northern half of the province.
>
>"A lot of those areas are unaccessible prior to May 15 and people couldn't 
>get in there to make a camp and hunt because the snow was still so deep," 
>said Art Beck, spokesman for the Sarcee Fish and Game Club.
>
>This year's grizzly hunt was mired in controversy as conservationists 
>called for an end to the hunt after a provincial government report revised 
>the grizzly population estimate from about 1,000 to 500, plus about 185 
>bears living in Alberta's national parks.
>
>WildCanada.net, the Grizzly Bear Alliance, the Alberta Wilderness 
>Association and other organizations also called for Premier Ralph Klein to 
>place grizzly bears on the province's threatened species list.
>
>"Bears are killed on highways and forestry roads, poached and their habitat 
>is rapidly disappearing," Legault said.
>
>"When you combine that with any mortality from hunting, the situation for 
>grizzly bears remains dismal in the province of Alberta."
>
>Babchishin said a shorter hunting season, reducing the number of available 
>licences to 73 and closing the hunt in the southwest corner of the province 
>were steps taken to ensure the hunt was considered sustainable. She said no 
>decision has been made about next year's hunt.
>
>"We'll review it every year based on information from year to year," 
>Babchishin said
>
>