Inspiration, Hope and Photography - Lee Horbachewski - Photographer, Mental Health Advocate, Author
When I first witnessed the collars strung up I felt physically ill. 20 of them ranging from number 01 – 67! Please don’t tell me they are collaring these beautiful grizzlies!
Personally, I find collaring wildlife to be an invasive method, I often wonder if people collaring these animals have ever considered wearing one themselves for a long period of time to experience the discomfort, restriction and annoyance of these archaic contraptions. In saying that, I do realize there is a time and place for collaring, especially in high human-wildlife conflict areas. The Chilcotin, this remote wilderness, why???
I’ve been eagerly watching the BearID Project that is aiming to progress the field of conservation technology by developing face recognition software for use in wildlife monitoring.
Thank you to everyone who has been following along with the story and images of my trip to the Chilcotin Mountains to photograph Grizzlies. I’ve received information that five grizzlies in total were collared: three sows (including Casper) and two boars. As promised, below you will find the notes that I took during our meeting with the three biologists, as well as an email I sent, that to this day, has not been answered.
In attendance:
Garth Mowat, Large Carnivore Specialist & Biologist with the Provincial Wildlife Branch
Shane White, Fish & Wildlife Regional Wildlife Biologist Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development | FLNRO · for BC Fish & Wildlife
Mitchell Warren – Biologist for TNG
What information are you looking for?
Garth:
Shane, working with the Chilko Working Group, Bear ecology:
Population Estimates
Garth:
Why was this area picked?
Because it is a salmon producing area and the grizzly numbers have been low. There is also no information on these bears at all. The link to salmon is very important. No matter the size/quantity of salmon has an impact on the bears.
Traps
How will you protect cubs whose mom has been trapped?
– It can happen, although cubs of the year don’t go far from their Moms.
– Males usually only focus on killing cubs during the breeding season.
Drugs used: anesthetic, bear is out for one hour. A sedative (in the valium group of drugs) is also used to calm the bear.
Collars
Shane
– Project goal is to collar nine bears – traps will be removed by October 15th no matter how many bears have been collared.
– Why were there 20 collars hanging that ranged from number 01 through to 067? We will also be collaring black bears and other wildlife.
– Collars were hanging to test the signals.
– How long will the collars be on? Boars – 2 years, Sows – 3 years.
– Collars also give a mortality signal. Two main causes of deaths for grizzly bears is people and other grizzlies.
Why was Tsylos Park Lodge not informed of the collaring, when it will clearly impact their Bear Viewing business?
There was the initial meeting in August, we were waiting for funding and then permits. Only found out last week that we would be going ahead.
Will findings be public?
Reports will be done that are shareable.
Garth, a respected and well-known biologist is not leading the project, he’s just getting it started. What is the experience of Mitchell?
Trained on the traps, no practical experience.
Chef – Local dog trapped today, what are you going to do to prevent this from happening to my dog?
There’s nothing we can do. Can you chain up your dog? Gary’s response: He would strangle himself.
Dear Garth, Shane & Mitchell,
Thank you for taking the time to meet with our group at Tsylos Park Lodge on October 8, 2021 to discuss the bear trapping and collaring study. I was the person who was forthcoming with my concerns of trusting the expertise and ethics of Garth, and worried that he was not managing the project.
In the image above captured by Tsylos Park Lodge Guide, Josh Reimer, after we had departed, shows Casper with a collar.
I’ll let you decide, does that look comfortable?
© Copyright 2022 Lee Horbachewski