Coquitlam Now - Friday, October 28
Mike Rogozinski
The homeless problem in the Tri-Cities is becoming a hot topic, but it’s not just people who don’t have a fixed address; the leveling of forests to make room for residential developments has also left a lot of wildlife without a place to call home, too. Bears used to stay deep in the woods and not get into trouble, but with more and more trees being cut they are running out of space and are now frequently seen roaming in residential neighborhoods where they are most often not welcome.
It’s actually difficult to believe anyone can have a bad encounter with a bear, especially considering all the media coverage, warnings, and nearly impossible to miss bear-aware signs posted everywhere, but the recent incident of a woman being chomped by a mother bear is proof that bad things can happen if residents aren’t careful and diligent.
Admittedly, the woman on the receiving end of the bite left her garbage unsecured. Tasty food is hard for a bear to resist, and if it’s free and easily accessible it’s just too good to pass up, so Mama Bear did what any loving mother would do; she packed up the hungry kids and headed out for a feast.
There are now two conflicting stories about what happened next. Some media reports state the woman’s dog aggressively attacked the cubs, and others say the dog only sniffed out the cubs and was attacked by them. Regardless of who started the fight or which version is accurate, the bears wouldn’t have been there at all if they didn’t have a reason to be. To a hungry bear, easily accessible garbage is a good reason to be anywhere.
Thankfully the woman and her dog weren’t seriously injured in the ensuing confrontation, but the life of the bears is in serious jeopardy. Even though a respected spokesperson for the Port Moody police stated the bears aren’t at fault and the woman’s injury happened only as a result of Mama defending her young, there is still a good chance the bears will be killed. The punishment has to fit the crime, and considering Mama was only defending her children it seems unjust to issue a death sentence. Besides, the woman’s son went back out and clocked Mama with an ironing board; let’s call it even.
Residents who ignore the posted warnings and continue to leave unsecured garbage and other attractants lying around are practically begging for an altercation with a bear. If they want to get mauled that’s their business, but my concern is that an innocent resident is going to accidentally cross paths with a bear and suffer a serious injury or lose their life because of someone else’s carelessness. If Joe Neighbor leaves garbage, rotting fruit or other attractants strewn about and you happen to cross paths with a bear and her cubs on the way to your car in the morning, who’s to blame if you get mauled? Is it the bears fault for protecting her children, yours for not being more careful, or is the neighbor to blame for attracting danger in the first place? We all need to be responsible. Not just for our own safety, but for the safety of those around us as well.
Hopefully the recent incident reminds people that although green space increases property values and the beauty of our neighborhoods, it also means we have to be careful and respectful of our neighboring wildlife. This time carelessness and unsecured garbage led to someone getting a bite and a painful reminder to be more vigilant. Simple oversight or laziness can sometimes mean the difference between living harmoniously with nature and leaving your family to make funeral arrangements. This time the bears came, caused a little commotion and left. Be responsible, and don’t give them a reason to come back.