What can predators like brown bears eat, safely?
• They’ve upset the moose hunters. • They’ve upset the elk & caribou hunters. • They’ve upset the salmon fisherman. • They’ve upset the farmers. • They’ve upset the adventurous backcountry campers. • They’re meat-eaters biologically. • They’re predatorial by nature. • They already eat plants and berries for 80-90% of the time (Canadian Wildlife Service) Now let’s look at encroachment, shall we? Today, brown bears inhabit less than 2% of their original range. Furthermore, the current population is less than 2% of its original level. Today, there are between 40,000 and 50,000 brown bears left in the wild. This drop in numbers can be partially attributed to habitat loss and hunting. Fear and ignorance of bears has led to their extermination. An increase in the poaching of bears has also greatly affected bear populations. Poachers harvest bear body parts to provide ingredients for traditional Asian medicines. As a result of their low birth rate combined with a high death rate of cubs (up t
