Letters to the EditorOpinion

Where was the humility for the three dead bears?

Re: Vanessa Chaput and Luna, Haines Junction, June 30.

While I was not there to witness the unfortunate grizzly attack that occurred, here’s something I know for sure:  there won’t be any journalistic awards given for in-depth reporting to any of the pieces I’ve seen so far.

Please help me understand how her story is of any help in educating those who know not what to do while living/hiking in bear country.

She mentions her education in the bush and knows how to deal with a bear encounter, but what about some wisdom on how to prevent it from happening in the first place?

Was she so unaware of her surroundings that she didn’t see the Bear Aware signs already posted, or that warnings of it being a “high frequency area for bears at this time of year” were put out three weeks before this horrific experience?

No one asked Vanessa if she was carrying bear spray, or bells on her or Luna, or did she have earbuds in to prevent her from being on alert?

Did she not know walking from dusk to dawn is bear feeding time? Was she clapping or singing or whistling? Anything?

Tips like carry bear spray, respect bear space, keep pets on leash, and make plenty of noise were offered on-line but not one educated tip was provided by Vanessa.

The only take-away she provided was the hair clip, “my saving Grace is from Walmart.”

It feels skeevy to me, as Indigenous Peoples have a sacred relationship with the land, yet there’s no thanks given to Mother Earth or the Creator for keeping her alive, but a shout-out is given to Walmart instead.

Where was the humility, or respect for the three grizzlies taken after this encounter? Nothing was said about the sacred bear medicine she would carry after an attack, if only she could take responsibility for ignorant or neglectful actions?

To say instead that no one is to blame, and it could have happened to anyone, is not owning it. Where’s the humble lesson? There had already been 17 bear deaths in the last six months.

Grizzlies are a Keystone Species, an integral part of our ecosystem and listed under SARA, yet they are still hunted!

Do they not have enough of a daily struggle with forest fires, droughts, floods, speeding traffic, humans’ encroachment, and being shot whenever they get too close to dumps and people?

I think of the couple I met with a big van packed with pails of cranberries they’d picked north of Whitehorse, heading back to B.C. to make jams for sale. How many companies strip the bushes of bear food to turn a profit, I wonder?

All grizzlies care about is finding food; they don’t want trouble! I know this to be true as I once encountered a grizzly eating cranberries up Fish Lake Road in Whitehorse.

My dog spotted it first and they both took off running. While grateful my dog returned, exhausted, I felt great shame for a long time, as I had caused stress to the bear and possible death to my dog, or me.

From then on, I made sure to make noise and leash my dog on hikes. I still carry the guilt over two decades later. 

My many Ontario black bear encounters have never led to anything but smiles and appreciation for the gift of the experience, although my old cat that scared a big one away from the patio door would have begged to differ.

Andrea Kelly
Muskoka, Ont.

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