LETTER

Black bears in the spotlight

Last week the Bulletin carried a fascinating column about orphaned black bears, written by Katharine Fletcher. First, thank you for sharing the information about the Ladysmith International School for Earth Studies! I didn’t know there was such a centre, or a wildlife rehabilitation centre. I remember reading something about this over ten years ago, by Lily Ryan, but I’m delighted to know there is a refuge there for bears.

Now about the black bears this year. If food is the main reason we are seeing so many bears in public places around Aylmer, what is being done to ensure the bears have enough to eat? I have heard rumblings about a movement to drop berries and other bear foods inside their habitat. Perhaps the Bulletin would research this and inform readers? I would gladly contribute to this effort. 

It is cubs that I see around Aylmer, more often than adults. But I doubt very much the reason is related to hunters (as is sometimes the problem, described by Ms Fletcher in the last Bulletin). While I don’t know why we see more cubs than adults, I do want to ensure they have the food they need.

Finally, as the bear famine is becoming more apparent to us humans, the timing with the federal climate change efforts seems perfect. I hope the efforts to turn climate change around work, and encourage all levels of government to get to work on it. We see the effects on the ground with such startling sights as hungry black bear cubs.

Keep up the good work, Bulletin. The last editions have been packed with outstanding content. I’m glad to read in both languages and hope you continue to translate less, publishing more in both languages.

Jenny Godin, 

Aylmer