Ban bear hunting in British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest

A bear-viewing guide was questioned recently on the proximity somebody would require to shoot a bear in the Great Bear Forest of British Columbia. He claimed the bears would get so close that even his grandmother would be able to fire a fatal shot.

In recent years, the ecotourism industry has boomed in British Columbia and the resident bears have become much more accustomed to the presence of humans. But the hunting laws have not been changed to accommodate this, meaning that the bears are in much more serious danger of being shot.

Bear hunting is allowed in about half of the Great Bear Rainforest. The bears of course make no such distinction between areas in which they may be killed and those where they are safe.

When 87% of the local community favour a complete ban on bear hunting, it is time for the government to change its policy.