Editor:
Why so many more black bear deaths in B.C. in the last couple of years? Can’t we give them a break? A lot of them who moved closer to towns were escaping the fires all across the province, looking for safety (and facing other human pressures). Coming from Costa Rica, where we have put so much effort to save wildlife and have learned to coexist with crocodiles and venomous snakes that we encounter on a daily basis, I must question why is Canada so behind in dealing with wildlife, both in policy and attitudes?
While other countries (by the way with a much smaller gross product) are making huge efforts at conservation and eco-existence, updating laws and having trained biologists and behaviour experts deal with human/animal encounters…why does Canada have a police force of sorts that has no public accountability dealing with this? This is about the most undemocratic thing I can think of. It seems truly archaic and in urgent need of change. How can we even accept these terms for our wildlife? In a democracy of the 21st century there should be no room for unaccountability. Blind trust is not a thing, especially when wildlife is being killed. It is not disrespectful to demand public accountability; that is how democracy works. Please send letters to your representatives, demanding public accountability.
Mariel Yglesias, Sechelt
