Achi news desk-
The Nova Scotia government is scrapping plans for a spring bear hunt after a survey revealed a strong divide in the province over the issue.
According to a government news release, more than 17,000 Nova Scotians responded to the survey asking for feedback on a proposed spring bear hunt. About 51 percent of respondents opposed the idea, 47 percent supported it, and two percent were neutral.
The province also received 134 letters and emails from people and 10 letters from organizations about the proposal, many of which did not support it.
“The Department (Natural Resources and Renewable Energy) is committed to maintaining a stable and healthy bear population that lives in their natural habitat without negatively affecting the ecosystem or creating safety problems in communities,” the statement is read.
The statement says bear control efforts will include:
- planning a public consultation on proposed regulations to control the inappropriate feeding of wildlife
- clarify and address inconsistencies in wildlife regulations
- seek feedback on improvements to hunting regulations
- working with Acadia University on a research project about black bears in Nova Scotia
There will be no changes to the annual fall bear hunt.
