Complicated Co-Habitation

Sometimes an incident occurs that inspires a broad range of emotions, and this was no exception. Firstly I wish to pay proper respects to biathlete Mary Beth Miller. If the name doesn't ring any bells, then you haven't glanced recently at any Canadian news sources. Sadly, she was the victim of a horrendous act which resulted in her death. I do not wish to diminish the grief and mourning deserved by this young woman taken before her time. Taken in a way that these days may no longer be preventable...a bear mauling. It is not so much the specific animal in question or the actual mauling that is subject for controversy. It is the increased joining of civilization and the untamed wild.

Although I do not propose that we sit idle while dangerous wildlife attack people on the street, but who is looking out for the wildlife? I know...I know, some of your are already thinking what a bunch of hogwash with my angle. Someone has to speak for a species that is being thrust in our midst and expected to adapt to a world they do not understand. Cunning survival is their way of life, how are they expected to life with a civilized population?

Only the ignorant and ill-informed are unable to see a connection between increased settlement areas and co-habitation with the wild. Where in the world can the animals go? Whether it be our encroachment on their habitat or man made structures in the middle of a migration route, we are ultimately forcing this co-mingling.

I once read that a male grizzly needs from 10.5 to 520 square miles of habitat depending on available food sources. Well if there are 200-300 in the area, that adds up to alot of needed space. Even if their territories sometimes overlap with eachother. Add this to a human population of even just 500,000 and growing and we have ourselves a bit of a dilemma.

So what is to be done? Fish and Wildlife authorities try to work with land owners promoting safety to the wildlife as well as that of their own family and domestic animals. They promote safety awareness for those living in a particularily untamed location, as well as ensuring that we do our part by keeping migration routes accessable to the wildlife. Wildlife follow instincts that are bread into them from birth, they will follow the same migration route even if a massive hiway sits atop of it!

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