Bear expert says outcry over killing cubs is sentimental overkill

Retired wildlife expert Barrie Gilbert says the uproar over the bear cubs who were almost shot in B.C. has more to do with "heartstrings" than conservation.

When a B.C.conservation officer was reprimanded forrefusingto kill orphaned cubs, supporters piled on,including U.K.pop icon Ricky Gervais, but Gilbert disagrees.

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He saysblack bears are far less threatened than Vancouver Island's elusive marmots.

"It's a value call really. Bears are not threatened at all. There are lots and lots of them," he says.

"My personal value system is I'd rather see people put their effort into threatened populationslike your marmots on Vancouver Island ... [But] the heart strings are pulled when you are talking baby bears. I mean, what's more attractive?"

Gilbert notes that cubs die naturally in their first year half the time and even a singleexposure to garbage feedingcan mar them for life.

Relocation is labour-intensive, prone to failure

Once bears see humans as a food source, Gilbert says theyare oftenshot as relocation is labour-intensive and prone tofailure. A bear must be moved a minimum of100 kilometres awayand often endup in another animal's territory.

Gilbert spent 35 years studying bear-human interactionafter he survived a devastating grizzly attackin YellowstonePark in 1977. The animal tore off the left side of his face, including an eye. Despite this, he says black bears are notin most casesdangerous.

"There is very little risk from black bears,except in remote areas where they don'thave much familiarity with people and aren't hunted. In those cases they will follow you and try to eat you."

Until bears become familiar with humans Gilbert says they see us as "upright two-legged deer." Once they are used to humans, they are much more interested in our garbage.

"Bears are so smart. They are smarter that the average dog. Once they see a pattern where they can get some food,they will return again and again with the hypothesis that there's got to be food there again sometime."