By Kylie Stanton Simon Little
First Nations on British Columbia鈥檚 coast are coming together with a new proposal aimed at relocating the grizzly bear who鈥檚 been making his home on Texada Island for more than a month.
The latest pitch would see the bear, now dubbed Tex, moved to Bute Inlet, about 100 kilometres northwest of the island.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a pretty remote area of the province鈥 there鈥檚 hardly any humans there, so the bear will have lots of room to roam,鈥 said Homalco First Nation Chief Darren Blaney.
鈥淲e have busy bear tours up there as well, and we have a salmon-enhancement facility up there and it creates a lot of food for the bears.鈥
There have been several proposals to trap and move the bear, and Texada Islanders have even privately fundraised to cover the cost of relocating him.
The B.C. government, however, has resisted the idea, telling Global News that because the bear has already been moved twice the chances of a successful third move are low and it is no longer a candidate for relocation.
Nicholas Scapaillati, executive director of the Grizzly Bear Society, argues Tex just hasn鈥檛 been given the right opportunity.
鈥淭his is a young male who is at that age where he鈥檚 looking for a mate. He鈥檚 looking for new territory and he鈥檚 been driven out of his territory where he was born.. Part of that鈥檚 genetic, it鈥檚 his drive to leave and part of it鈥檚 his mom,鈥 he said.
鈥淗e was relocated to his home range in the past, and so now we鈥檙e looking at something that鈥檚 setting him up for success in a new territory.鈥
Both the Grizzly Bear Society and the First Nations whose territory are involved say the initiative is also an opportunity for the province to advance reconciliation by incorporating Indigenous knowledge into land management and conservation decisions.
鈥淩econciliation can鈥檛 be just something you say on TV. It has to be some action to that,鈥 Blaney said.
鈥淏ecause you鈥檙e respecting government, you鈥檙e respecting culture and respecting food sovereignty and, you know, part of our culture is the bears in our territory.鈥
Blaney said there were plans to meet with the province on Monday, and again later in the week, and that he was hopeful they could reach an accommodation.
In a statement, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship was non-committal.
鈥淭he Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship is aware of this plan, and there are ongoing conversations between First Nations and the Grizzly Bear Foundation,鈥 it said.
In the meantime, conservation officers have visited Texada Island and are providing public safety and attractant management advice to residents.
It鈥檚 the type of conversation Scapillati says will become increasingly necessary as bear habitat is destroyed or encroached on by humans.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the responsibility of these communities to learn to coexist,鈥 he said.
鈥淎nd Texada is doing a great job. They鈥檝e got a community board set up, and the community鈥檚 coming together and having that discussion 鈥 and that鈥檚 really important, they鈥檙e the ones that will determine the fate of Tex until the province and First Nations can come together with this new plan.鈥