news

July 9, 2009

B.C. closes off huge area to grizzly and black bear hunting

VICTORIA – The B.C. government has taken another step in protecting the famed Kermode or Spirit bear and has closed off large sections of the province to grizzly and black bear hunting.

The province has banned the hunting of any Kermode anywhere in the province under threat of a fine up to $100,000 and or a year in jail.

Part of the area where black bear hunting is now banned includes the Gribbell Island and portions of Princess Royal Island along the B.C. central coast, where there is a high proportion of Kermode bears.

The Kermode is a black bear with a unique recessive gene that makes the bear's coat white.

Almost 500,000 hectares in northern B.C. is now closed to grizzly bear hunting after extensive land-use plans were worked out between the government, First Nations and other stakeholders.

The additional closed sections brings the total area along the North and Central coast banned to grizzly hunting to 1.9 million hectares.