To help support First Nations, The Raincoast Conservation Foundation bought the commercial hunting rights in a vast area of the Great Bear Rainforest.
As reported by the Times Colonist,
The Rainforest Conservation Foundation now controls hunting in 28,000 square kilometres of the central coast and its latest acquisition of 3,500 square kilometres includes key areas around Princess Royal Island where there is the highest concentration of Kermode or spirit bears (black bears with white coats).
Grizzly bear hunting provokes some of the strongest reactions among bear hunt opponents and there are disagreements about the number of bears remaining in BC.
The province puts the number at about 15,000 (although it’s clear no one knows for sure).
This year, 3,716 tags were issued for the spring and fall hunts. About 300 grizzlies are shot annually by both legal hunters and poachers.
Photo: Hunter with ‘trophy’ grizzly bear, courtesy of Rainforest Conversation Foundation.
