TORONTO, April 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Animal Alliance of Canada gratefully acknowledges the Nova Scotia government, especially the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, who, on April 17, heeded the voices of the people to announce that: “after careful consideration of feedback from Nova Scotians, the Province has decided there will be no spring bear hunt at this time.”
Animal Alliance also offers a heartfelt vote of thanks to the more than 9,000 Nova Scotians who spoke out in an online survey against a proposed spring bear hunt in their province. As well, the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables received more than 130 emails and letters from individuals and 10 letters from organizations, the majority of whom did not support a spring bear hunt.
As a result of the government’s decision, Nova Scotia can proudly remain the only province in Canada with a bear population not to hold a spring bear hunt. That will save the lives not only of countless adult black bears, but young cubs orphaned and left to die when—inevitably—mother bears are shot and killed. Evidence from provinces with a spring bear hunt reveals that, even with the best intentions to prevent the hunting of female bears with cubs, conservation officers lack resources to investigate after careless or unscrupulous hunters have mistakenly or deliberately shot mothers and left cubs vulnerable to starvation or death by other means, including predators.
“Most wildlife we once had on our planet are gone,” observed Liz White, a Director of Animal Alliance in urging Nova Scotians not to institute a spring bear hunt. A ban on such a hunt, she added, would have resonance beyond the provincial boundaries of Nova Scotia, “to be part of the world-wide movement away from so much killing, so much death.”
Now that Nova Scotians and their government have spoken out, Animal Alliance urges other jurisdictions in Canada to follow Nova Scotia’s example and ban their own spring bear hunts. “We don’t know how many cubs will be orphaned,” says fellow Director Barry Kent MacKay, “but one is too many.”
The Animal Alliance of Canada is glad to know that cubs in Nova Scotia will not be among them.
Barry Kent MacKay, barry@animalalliance.ca, 905-472-9731
Liz White, liz@animalalliance.ca
