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BEAR NECESSITY ALBERTA FISH AND WILDLIFE IS COLLECTING TEETH FROM BLACK BEARS TO IN THE HOPE OF DETERMINING WHETHER THE PROVINCE’S POPULATION IS HEALTHY
BY MARY-ANN BARR ADVOCATE STAFF Rocky Mountain House wildlife biologist Anne Hubbs likes bears — never mind that when she was first doing graduate work in the Yukon she found herself having to scramble and climb a flimsy tree to escape one of the big furry omnivores. She was with a group that had rounded a corner and come across a grizzly guarding its food. “My tree, I got up only about four feet because it was the smallest thing you’ve even seen, and the bear just sat and watched us for a bit. We eventually got the nerve up to walk away.” Years later, having observed many other bears — both black and grizzly — Hubbs can say: “I’ve not had any bad encounters at all
with blacks, or with grizzlies to be honest. “I do like bears. They are that symbol of nature to me, and something that’s special to see because it’s not a common experience to see a bear.” Today the senior wildlife biologist for Alberta Fish and Wildlife is focusing special attention on black bears and how little is actually known about their current population in the province. She hopes to see that changed. Hubbs is overseeing a three-year trial that involves collecting teeth from black bears harvested both west of Red Deer and in northeastern Alberta. This could eventually help determine whether the entire province’s black bear population is healthy, or otherwise, and help with managing their overall harvest.
Please see STUDY on Page A2 Photo by GORDON COURT/Fish and Wildlife
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Sunday
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Sunny
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BUSINESS B7-B8 ENTERTAINMENT C1-2
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