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www.OntarioBlackBears.com |
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Ontario's Problems With Black Bears
~As Complicated As Nature Itself~ |
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Petition
to Stop Bans on Hunting
My wife and I own a remote wilderness vacation
resort in Ontario's Chapleau Crown Game Preserve, the world's
largest wildlife sanctuary. We offer a wide variety of nature
interpretation and photographic experiences, along with fishing.
The Chapleau Game Preserve covers over 7,000 square kilometers
(3,000 square miles) in the middle of Ontario's Boreal Forest,
straddling the height of land between Hudson Bay and Lake Superior
and completely surrounding Missinaibi Provincial Park. There
has been no hunting or trapping here since 1925. I am the second
generation in this business and have spent most of my life here.
 Living
in the world's largest wildlife sanctuary for over 30 years,
I have had the opportunity to study nature and wildlife, which
has not been affected by hunting or trapping. Some people feel
that killing animals is man's most significant impact on wildlife
populations. It is actually our changes to the environment that
affects nature and wildlife so drastically. Many of our effects
on wildlife and the environment are direct, most are indirect,
some effects are many steps removed from what we have actually
done. Many of our actions have extremely positive affects for
some species which nature balances with extremely negative repercussions
for other species. Nature is an enormously complex system, which
is constantly changing and always balancing itself. Nature will
not compensate for our actions, but it will balance our actions
in ways which we may not be able to predict because we do not
have the capacity, or the intimate knowledge of the complexity
of nature, required. We may feel that our actions should not
have the effects they do, but nature has it's own rules.
Black
Bears' Environmental Role
Black Bears are one of the most important
animals in the Ontario ecosystem. Black Bears are an intelligent,
very adaptable animal with enormous appetites and a biologically
programmed instinct to eat whatever they can find, wherever they
can find it. Their primary role in nature is to ensure that nothing
is wasted. Black Bears have the ability to eat anything that
is edible by any other animal. The range of food that Black Bears
eat changes significantly throughout the year and includes animals
which died over the winter, fish spawning in the spring and fall,
nuts and berries during the height of summer, insects and grubs
when and where they can find them, and any animal which they
can kill without endangering themselves. It is very important
to recognize that Black Bears are classified as a carnivore because
they kill and eat other animals. Nuts and berries are significantly
available for only 1-2 months during the year. The other 6-8
months that Black Bears are not "hibernating" they
must eat fish, insects and other animals to survive.
All Black Bears are predatory animals.
Which species of animals a Black Bear preys on depends on how
large the Black Bear is compared to prospective prey animals,
how aggressive the individual Black Bear's personality is, how
desperate for food the Black Bear is, and how familiar the Black
Bear is with the prospective prey animal. The higher any of these
factors are, the greater the range of species and size of animals
a Black Bear will prey on. Male Black Bears (Boars) tend to be
more aggressive than female Black Bears (Sows), but many female
Black Bears are very aggressive.
In the spring, Black Bears target newly
born animals such as Moose calves, Beaver kits, and many animals,
which live, or have their young, in dens where they can be easily
trapped. Black Bears prefer to kill young animals because they
are safer and easier to kill. Black Bears will actually track
and harass female moose until they birth their calf. Both the
female Moose and the calf are very vulnerable at that point and
often both are killed. Large Black Bears also kill full grown
moose, usually when the Moose has bedded down to sleep. Black
Bears are the only animal in Ontario that can easily tear apart
a Beaver Lodge. Newly born beavers can be trapped in their den
when the Black Bear tears it apart to eat them. Beaver are also
very vulnerable to Black Bear when they are gathering their winter
food supply of tree branches in the late summer and fall. All
other denning animals, such as marmot, lynx and wolf, are vulnerable
because Black Bears can dig them out and the parent animals can
do nothing about it except endanger themselves. Even Timber Wolves
will not tackle a medium to large Black Bear if the Black Bear
goes into their den to take their cubs. Bird nests also, whether
they are in trees or near the ground are vulnerable to Black
Bears.
Black Bears have only one natural population
control of any significance, availability of food. Black Bears
have a very robust biology, which has a low susceptibility to
disease and parasites. Black Bears are also a very anti-social
animal so any diseases or parasites they are susceptible to,
are not easily transferred. The only real natural predator of
Black Bear, is Black Bear, however Black Bears are a dangerous
prey unless there is a significant difference in size. It is
fairly common however, for larger Black Bears, usually males,
to kill and eat Black Bear cubs, especially in the spring when
food is scarce. Large male Black Bears will also kill and eat
the female Black Bears which are not ready to mate, or if the
female is protecting her cubs. Everything is food for a Black
Bear.
The Black Bears' entire biology is tied
to gathering food, even reproduction. Although Black Bears mate
in the early spring, the young only implant into the uterus in
late summer if the female has had enough food to produce the
substantial fat she needs to nurse her cubs from mid winter through
spring. The more food she has in mid summer, the more cubs she
will bring to term. If she does not have enough food she will
absorb her young back into her system so she can get pregnant
again the next spring. The timing of this delayed implantation
coincides with the nut and berry season. If there are lots of
nuts and berries, Black Bears have lots of cubs. If there are
less nuts and berries, Black Bears have less cubs or sometimes
no cubs. Berries and nuts are how we have had such a significant
impact on Black Bear populations, and therefore on all of the
other wildlife species on which they prey.
Clear
Cut Logging is Not Natural
Some people feel that the cancellation
of Ontario's spring hunt for Black Bears is responsible for Ontario's
current overpopulation of Black Bears. Ontario's Black Bear population
was rising well before the spring Black Bear hunt was canceled.
The spring Black Bear hunt was slowing down the increase in the
Black Bear population, especially the portion of the Black Bear
population more likely to be a problem. The reason the Black
Bear population has been increasing in Ontario is because we
have changed the environment to favour Black Bears.
Natural regeneration of the Boreal Forest
is through wildfire. After wildfire there are very few nuts and
berries except around the cooler edges. Burned areas are filled
with new forest growth and fireweed, which are not good sources
of food for Black Bears. After clear-cut logging there are enormous
amounts of nuts and berries throughout the area for many years.
The abundance of nuts and berries stimulates Black Bear reproduction.
Decades ago 1-2 cubs was normal and 3 cubs were rare. Now 3-4
cubs are fairly close to average. Because Ontario's current Black
Bear population is based on an overabundance of nuts and berries
in a 1-2 month period of the year, we now have an overabundance
of Black Bears in Ontario with not enough food to sustain them
the rest of the year. All of the Black Bears other food sources
have remained the same or decreased while the Black Bear population
has been increasing. The availability of insects and grubs has
declined because we have much less old growth. Spawning fish
are available for only a short season in the spring and fall.
This leaves predation of other animals as the Black Bears only
natural source of food for much of the year.
Clear-cut logging is economical, not ecological.
Clear-cut logging with replanting is in no way similar to wildfire
regeneration other than they are both large-scale disturbances
of the forest ecology. Boreal Forest growth after a forest fire
is much more vigorous and healthy, because of the chemical changes
in the soil and the eradication of most parasites, diseases and
competing vegetation. Replanting after clear-cut logging does
not have the significant environmental and long-term forest health
benefits of wildfire. If logging in the Boreal Forest were planned
so fire could be used extensively in regeneration, logging would
not have near the impact on Black Bear and other wildlife populations.
In the short term, use of fire in regeneration can be more expensive
than replanting, especially when forest management planning is
not conducive to using wildfire regeneration. There are also
other values that need to be considered in using wildfire, and
our culture has a significant prejudice against wildfire, but
the long-term benefits of wildfire to the forest ecosystem and
nature's balance cannot be duplicated artificially.
Black Bears are not the only animal in
Ontario whose populations have increased because we have changed
the environment. Agriculture, and the eradication of predatory
animals, has made an environment very favourable to White Tail
Deer, which have become overpopulated in many areas of Ontario.
The overpopulated White Tail Deer suffer from disease and seasonal
starvation while eradicating much of the habitat many bird and
small animal species need to survive.
Too
Many Black Bears
Overpopulations of Black Bears means overpredation
of wildlife species they prey on, including moose, beaver, lynx,
marmot and wolf. Black Bears have always killed moose calves
in the spring for food. When Ontario had a more normal Black
Bear population, they killed about 10-30% of the Moose calves
each year. Now predation of Moose calves is as high as 80% in
some areas. This is one of the more significant reasons why moose
populations are becoming so low near areas where there has been
recent clear-cut logging, which is most of Ontario.
In the Chapleau Game Preserve, there has
been no hunting or trapping since 1925. Our resort has been in
operation inside the Chapleau Game Preserve since the mid 1950's.
My family has owned our resort for over 30 years. There were
almost no problems with Black Bears until about 15 years ago,
a little over 5 years after clear-cut logging became prevalent
in our vicinity. We now take significant precautions to avoid
problems with Black Bears, which were totally unnecessary 20-30
years ago.
30 years ago the Chapleau Game Preserve
had one of the highest moose populations in Ontario, now it is
one of the lowest. This happened with essentially no effect from
hunting except for a negligible impact from poaching. Most female
moose used to have 1-2 calves yearly, now most female moose have
lost their calves by early summer and many moose have significant
scarring from unsuccessful Bear attacks. We now see Black Bears
daily where they used to be a rare sighting most of the summer
20-30 years ago. Our guests have watched Black Bears tear apart
beaver dens in the spring to get the kits. What changed? In the
last 30 years most of the forest in the Chapleau Game Preserve
has been clear-cut. The clear cuts have produced an abundance
of nuts and berries, which has produced an over abundance of
Black Bears, which has significantly reduced Moose, and other,
wildlife populations. In the Chapleau Game Preserve, the effects
of clear-cut logging on wildlife populations in Boreal Forest
are unmistakable since hunting and trapping are not really a
factor.
Grizzly Bears and Animal Rights
Some of the more radical elements in the
animal rights movement have misinformed the public regarding
Black Bears and Black Bear Hunting. Unfortunately some radical
opportunists choose causes based on how easy a target they are,
how politically correct they are, or how much income they can
leverage from donations. Much of the misinformation about Black
Bears is based on actual problems with some Grizzly Bear populations.
Grizzly Bears do not live in Ontario. Black Bears are related
to Grizzly Bears but they are significantly different animals
and our impact on their populations is totally different. Grizzly
Bears start breeding at 5-6 years and can have 1-3 cubs every
third year. Black Bears start reproducing at 3 years and can
have 1-5 cubs every second year. This means, in good conditions,
Black Bears can reproduce 6 times faster than Grizzly Bears.
Black Bears are also smaller than Grizzly Bears allowing them
to survive downturns in food supply better. Because radical opportunists
have brought a lot of attention to unfounded and inconsequential
issues regarding Black Bears, any real problems with Grizzly
Bear populations are less likely to be addressed. Black Bears
may even be a factor in any Grizzly Bear population problems.
There is significant clear-cut logging in Western Canada and
the United States where Black Bears share habitat with Grizzly
Bears. Are burgeoning Black Bear populations a factor in declining
Grizzly Bear populations because Black Bears are so adaptable
to human interference and complete for food with the Grizzly
Bears?
Another significant difference between
Black Bears and Grizzly Bears is that Grizzly Bears are more
of a carrion eater and Black Bears are more of a predator. This
is why Grizzly Bear attacks generally happen when people have
surprised them, while most Black Bear attacks are predatory.
The Black Bears are hungry and they regard the people they attack,
or what the people are carrying, as food. This is also why playing
dead if actually attacked by a Grizzly Bear sometimes saves lives
but is not a good idea with Black Bears. The Grizzly Bear may
not have been hungry to begin with plus Grizzly Bears may let
their food rot a bit. Black Bears are a more opportunistic predator
even if they are relatively smaller.
Two other areas where animal rights radicals
have significantly misinformed the public is in regard to hunting
Black Bears in the spring and hunting Black Bears using bait.
Hunting Black Bears using bait, in the spring, is the most humane
and ethical way to hunt Black Bears. First, ethical hunters do
not want to kill nursing female Black Bears. In the spring anyone
can tell if a Black Bear is a nursing female. It is physically
obvious, plus the cubs stay very close to her. Anyone who shoots
a nursing female Black Bear in the spring should not have a hunting
license. They are either not taking a good look at what they
are shooting, or they do not care what they kill. Contrary to
innuendoes from some of the radical animal rights groups, the
incidences of nursing female Black Bears being shot when Ontario
had a spring Black Bear hunt were very rare. Baiting allows a
hunter to take a really good look at what they are shooting to
make sure it is the animal they want to shoot and that they have
a good clear shot that will dispatch the animal cleanly and humanely.
Black Bear meat is tasty and nutritious, but in the spring the
meat on a Black Bear is at it's best because it is so much leaner.
Black Bear pelts are also at their best in the spring.
Bait hunting for Black Bears, especially
in the spring, also targets the Black Bears most likely to be
problem Bears. Whether because of desperation, food preferences
or personality, some Black Bears are more likely to come to baits,
and other Black Bears won't come anywhere near baits. The Black
Bears that come to baits are the same Black Bears that will raid
garbage cans, composters, bird feeders, and fruit trees as well
as break into homes, cottages and other buildings. Black Bears
killed over baits in the spring, not only helps reduce Ontario's
overpopulation of Black Bears, it targets the problem portion
of the Black Bear population. Using Bait to harvest Black Bears
has few negative repercussions for the Black Bear species unlike
the practice of feeding deer, which is a significant factor in
spreading disease.
Unfortunately, radical elements of the
animal rights movement have wasted a lot of financial and other
resources, which legitimate environmental groups really need
to make a difference on habitat issues affecting species survival.
Legitimate animal rights groups, who tackle the tough issues
such as abusive animal owners and Black market trade in exotic
species, are also suffering from lack of financial resources
as well as some erosion of credibility. Misinformation also further
disconnects people from nature because people have less or erroneous
knowledge about what really happens in nature and our effects
on our natural environment.
Black
Bear Safety
Black Bears are large carnivores, which
have significant potential to be a danger to humans. To Black
Bears, we humans are just another animal which are a potential
source of food, or danger, for them. Other than for mating, wild
Black Bears have no desire for social relationships with other
Black Bears, let alone with humans. Black Bears want to be petted
and cuddled by humans about as much as, and probably less than,
we want to be petted and cuddled by Black Bears.
The biggest factor in our relationship
with Black Bears is food because that is what Black Bears are
always searching for. The more we remove food from our interactions
with Black Bears, the fewer problems we have with Black Bears.
The other significant factor, in our relationship with Black
Bears, is that familiarity breeds contempt. Wild Black Bears
have a natural caution about humans because we are an unfamiliar
animal and, at first glance, we seem bigger than they are and
therefore potentially dangerous. It is when Black Bears are around
humans a lot that they can lose their caution about humans, especially
if there is food involved.
All Black Bears are essentially obsessive
compulsive about food. Once a Black Bear has found a source of
food, they will keep coming back to the same source, or repeating
the same behavior, to get more. Black Bears have a tremendous
memory for any location, or action, which brings them food. This
is why backpackers dropping their backpack with food when they
encounter a Black Bear, encourages that Black Bear to chase other
hikers. They have learned that if they chase that 2-legged animal
it will drop food. A Black Bear that has learned a habit will
keep repeating it because it worked once.
Black Bears' instinct is to intimidate
or be intimidated. If you don't act like a panicky animal then
the Black Bear may consider you too dangerous to tackle. If you
encounter a Black Bear, stand still, and make yourself look as
big as possible. If there is shelter nearby, move slowly toward
it while facing the Black Bear. If it moves toward you, stop.
Never run from a Black Bear or climb a tree. Running is a signal
that you are a weak animal and Black Bears can climb a tree faster
than most people can run. If a Black Bear's head is high it is
generally non-aggressive. If a Black Bear stands up on two legs
it is merely curious. If a Black Bear's head is low, be careful.
If a Black Bear charges, stand still so it thinks you are not
afraid.
Black Bears have a very keen sense of smell,
are agile climbers, fast runners, great swimmers and are very
powerful. Black Bears are also curious and one of the more intelligent
animals in the forest. To avoid attracting Black Bears when camping,
make sure your food is very well secured and do not dispose of
waste food in your vicinity. It is best to prepare only as much
food as you will actually eat so you do not have to dispose of
leftovers. If you do have to dispose of waste food, take it a
very significant distance from your campsite. Burying waste food
in the vicinity of your campsite is not a good idea because of
Black Bears incredible sense of smell. Burning waste food may
not be completely effective. If there is a significant lack of
natural food for Black Bears because of a poor berry season,
or a significant overpopulation, be extra cautious of being an
attraction for Black Bears. Also, if you are camping where other
people have camped before, you may inherit problems they created.
Conclusion
Black Bears are not the peaceful berry
eaters some people portray them to be, but they are not ravening
monsters either. Black Bears do kill and eat other animals, especially
young animals such as Moose, Deer, Beaver and animals that have
their young in a dens. Black Bears also kill and eat other Black
Bears for food and to decrease competition. Black Bears can be
a danger to humans when they lose their natural caution about
us, or if there is a lack of more easily accessible food. This
is all normal behavior for Black Bears who use their intelligence
and significant adaptability to take advantage of any circumstances,
which help them survive. To expect Black Bears to behave according
to our values is naive. We must respect Black Bears for the magnificent
animals they are and not expect them to behave like some fictionalized
fantasy creature we see on television. To humanize Black Bears
is wrong. Black Bears are a different animal from us and have
their own values. Black Bears do not think like people just as
we do not think like Black Bears. To Black Bears, humans are
just another animal which are potentially a source of food, or
danger, to them.
A healthy Black Bear population is an essential
component of Ontario's natural environment, however, overpopulations
of a top-level predator, such as the Black Bear, is damaging
to all other wildlife populations and can be dangerous to the
public. Well planned hunting can help to reduce some of our effects
on Black Bear overpopulations but the overabundance of nuts and
berries after clear-cut logging will continue to stimulate female
Black Bears to produce high numbers of cubs for which there is
not enough food most of the year. Nature is complex but has a
simple objective, balance. We must recognize that we are part
of nature and our actions have a significant effect on all of
the creatures we share this planet with.
Al Errington
Errington's Wilderness Island Resort
www.WildernessIsland.com
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