Photo by Gemma Winston / Getty Images
Animals have no voice, as goes the common saying. But they do – they can be quite proficient at communicating their needs. It’s more that humans have forgotten how to listen. This is a reality Ellie Lamb, bear viewing guide and educator, encounters often in her work.
Black bears are found across Canada, but one of their largest populations exists within British Columbia. Despite all that is known about bears and how to prevent negative encounters, thousands of them are killed in British Columbia annually by the BC Conservation Officer Service, often for accessing anthropogenic, or human-created attractants and food sources. Talking to bears – or more particularly learning how to listen to them – can be a significant step in preventing such outcomes for bears, and lead to successful coexistence.
Defender Radio was joined by Ellie Lamb to discuss black bears in British Columbia, what it means to talk and listen to bears, and how coexistence can be successful in communities.
To listen to this episode click the ‘play’ button below, download the MP3, visit us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts. Get the RSS feed here. Make sure you follow Defender Radio on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.
Show Notes and Links:
You can find Ellie Lamb on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100033726425739
More information about BC black bears, how to coexist, and current actions from The Fur-Bearers can be seen at: https://www.thefurbearers.com/bcblackbears.
Want to suggest topics for Defender Radio? Reach out to us at DefenderRadio@Gmail.com, by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio).
The Switch is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree).
