Grizzly bears seen starving in the rainforests of British Columbia香蕉视频直播檚 south coast because there isn香蕉视频直播檛 enough salmon to sustain them raises alarm bells for wildlife biologist Wayne McCrory, who香蕉视频直播檚 known as a leading bear expert in Canada.

The science is 香蕉视频直播渃rying out香蕉视频直播� for greater habitat protections for the iconic species as industrial activities eat away at the landscapes the bears depend on, he said.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a huge amount of protection work that needs to be done that isn香蕉视频直播檛 happening, so you can say it香蕉视频直播檚 in a crisis mode,香蕉视频直播� he said in an interview.

McCrory said the province香蕉视频直播檚 draft plan to adjust grizzly management doesn香蕉视频直播檛 meaningfully address habitat loss and could prove 香蕉视频直播渄isastrous香蕉视频直播� for the bears.

He is among the signatories of an open letter sent to provincial officials last week as public engagement closed for the draft grizzly stewardship framework.

The letter published by Pacific Wild and signed by more than 50 scientists, advocates and conservation groups says the proposed plan minimizes the threats posed by the 香蕉视频直播渟evere fragmentation香蕉视频直播� of grizzly habitat in B.C. by logging, road building and other industrial activities against the backdrop of climate change.

香蕉视频直播淚n order to mitigate the massive loss of biodiversity, the B.C. government must also shift from profit-first exploitation of wildlife habitat to the protection of our last remaining intact natural areas,香蕉视频直播� the letter says.

The federal government listed the grizzly bear under the Species at Risk Act in 2018, classifying the bears as 香蕉视频直播渟pecial concern香蕉视频直播� following a recommendation by theCommittee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada six years earlier.

The committee香蕉视频直播檚 report said grizzlies are 香蕉视频直播渉ighly sensitive to human disturbance香蕉视频直播� and concluded that concern would grow without a reversal of the 香蕉视频直播渋ncreasing pressures of resource extraction and cumulative impacts香蕉视频直播� on their habitat.

The listing is meant to trigger a requirement for governments to produce plans aimed at minimizing the likelihood of the species becoming endangered.

But McCrory said such a plan has not yet materialized for grizzlies in B.C.

He said the new draft framework repeats much of what香蕉视频直播檚 already known about grizzly management in the province but lacks what香蕉视频直播檚 really needed 香蕉视频直播� actions to ensure healthy grizzly populations roam B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 landscape for decades to come.

The plan is 香蕉视频直播渇uzzy around the edges, without any way of really moving forward to get the on-the-ground habitat protection changes that grizzly bears need today if we香蕉视频直播檙e going to have them around 50 or 100 years from now,香蕉视频直播� he said.

A statement from the Forests Ministry said the framework was developed with input from approximately 85 Indigenous governments and groups.

香蕉视频直播淎 key learning from that process was the different First Nations have different approaches to grizzly bear stewardship. Regionally based planning recognizes and honours this reality,香蕉视频直播� it said.

The stewardship framework is what would previously have been referred to as a management plan, the ministry added.

香蕉视频直播淭he purpose of the framework and strategy is to engage with First Nations, scientists and the public on supporting grizzly bears and their habitat, to ensure we continue to have a thriving population for years to come,香蕉视频直播� said a statement attributed to Forests Minister Bruce Ralston.

In addition to larger protected areas, McCrory said the roughly 15,000 grizzlies in B.C. need a 香蕉视频直播渕osaic香蕉视频直播� of smaller yet continuous habitats that connect salmon streams to healthy forests, to berry patches and denning spots in the mountains.

B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 auditor general delivered what McCrory described as a 香蕉视频直播渟cathing香蕉视频直播� review of grizzly bear management in 2017, finding the greatest threat to the bears was human activity that degrades their habitat, not hunting that香蕉视频直播檚 since been banned.

The B.C. government announced the end of grizzly hunting in December 2017, with some exceptions for First Nations, and pledged to work on 香蕉视频直播渞enewed香蕉视频直播� strategy.

The draft stewardship framework released earlier this year says there is no 香蕉视频直播渙ne size fits all香蕉视频直播� approach that works across B.C. and encourages the development of local plans to be initiated by provincial wildlife staff as well as First Nations.

Those plans may then be shaped by local advisory teams consisting of relevant B.C. government staff and 香蕉视频直播渋nterested parties such as industry, environmental organizations, independent biologists, and other stakeholders,香蕉视频直播� the document says.

McCrory said he香蕉视频直播檚 worried the local teams will open decision-making tables to hunting interests and 香蕉视频直播渕uddy the waters香蕉视频直播� around what really needs to be done.

香蕉视频直播淵ou香蕉视频直播檙e not going to end up with sound, science-based plans. You香蕉视频直播檙e going to end up with, you know, whoever dukes it out and comes out on top,香蕉视频直播� he said of the teams.

香蕉视频直播淚 grew up in the Slocan Valley and I香蕉视频直播檝e worked with many wildlife and conservation groups throughout B.C. and I just know how the backwoods politics works when it comes to conflicts and the grizzly bear trophy hunting,香蕉视频直播� he added.

In his statement, Ralston said the province is not looking at lifting the ban at this time, adding members of First Nations continue to have the constitutional right to hunt the bears for food, social, and ceremonial purposes.

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