A Vancouver Island First Nation hopes to relocate the grizzly bear roaming on Texada Island.
The Mamalilikulla First Nation, located in Campbell River, has offered to bring the bear from Texada to the Gwa̲xdlala/Nala̲xdlala (Lull/Hoeya) marine refuge in Knight Inlet to give the animal refuge.
The grizzly has been roaming around Texada for a month, with the BC Conservation Officer Service saying recently that it’s not a candidate for relocation following complaints about public encounters, aggressive behaviour, and property damage.
Related: Texada Island Grizzly Bear to not be relocated – My Powell River Now
Nation Chief Councillor John Powell says he’s discouraged by the ongoing situation with the bear.
“I don’t think the bear has much chance of surviving through the summer if it stays on Texada,” said Powell.
“Inevitably it’s going to come in contact with either humans or animals and eventually it’s going to be a negative interaction because it is a bear, and people are afraid of it. It needs food. Domestic animals are slower than wild animals and inevitably it’s going to figure that out and start chasing goats and chickens instead of deer.”
Powell says the marine refuge is declared under the Nation’s ancient law of Aweenak’ola, meaning one with the land, the sea, the sky, and the supernatural, making it only fitting to offer a home for this bear.
He says the nation looks at these bears as brothers and sisters, instead of inferior creatures.
“It was a natural process for us, as we have a number of laws we’re following by doing this,” said Powell.
“One of these laws is to do the right thing and it is the right thing to do to offer this bear a home.”
If translocated to the refuge, it would be far enough that the animal won’t likely come back anywhere near people, with a small population of people used to grizzly bears and a chance for the bear to meet other bears in the area.
Since the offer was made almost two weeks ago, Powell has gotten a call from Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Randene Neill and Minister of Environment Tamara Davidson about the issue, with both ministers telling him the reasons the bear isn’t a candidate for relocation.
“They have regulations and policies and want to set precedents, but the bear doesn’t know that,” said Powell.
“It’s going to follow its nose and eventually end up in the garbage can, chasing animals or at worst have a negative interaction with human beings.”
Powell adds the Nation and Ministers are approaching this at two different levels, with the ministrys focusing on policy while the Nation focuses on kindness and compassion.
He hopes the bear remains safe, and if it can’t be relocated to his territory, then at least the animal gets the chance to be taken back to its own territory again.
