NEW PROGRAMMES 2008
2. BEARS: The world has only 8 species of bear. Six of the World’s bear species are internationally Listed as Endangered. Although our Polar bear is Listed as Endangered, our Black bear population is, so far, listed as “stable” and our Rocky Mountain Grizzly Bear population is not yet protected by an Endangered Listing even though the total grizzly bear population is estimated to be only 490 animals.
One way to contribute towards maintaining a viable population of bears in the wild is to completely protect Watersheds from all industrial development, doing this will also protect the other species, including people, using or benefiting from the purity of that ecosystem.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING IS TO ENSURE THAT BEARS STILL SURVIVE IN THE WILD.
WHY SHOULD WE WORRY ABOUT THIS?
All species of bear are very slow to reproduce…they don’t have cubs every year. Cubs are only born when conditions are ideal: when the female is over 4 years old, when she is fat in the summer (or she won’t accept the male) and if she is very fat when she goes into hibernation (or gestation will not occur). Once the cubs are born, they stay with their mother for at least 3 years, and during that time she won’t breed. Cubs do not always survive to adulthood, only 60% reach their 1st birthday.
THIS MEANS THAT EVERY FEMALE BEAR CUB BORN IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO THE POPULATION AS A WHOLE. IT ALSO MEANS THAT ORPHANED BEAR CUBS, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, SHOULD BE RESCUED. But, at present, the Government of Alberta does not believe this “The consensus of wildlife management agencies is that the best chance for orphaned bears to contribute to wild populations is to leave them in the wild, even though their survival chances might be slim.” From: SRD Minister.SRD.Minister@gov.ab.ca Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 11:07:48 AM
We believe that for Government to be able to make wise decisions it is essential that they be provided with solid, up to the minute, information on bear management practices for bear species world wide, and also on the success of orphaned bear cub rehabilitation programs (see bear page)
OUR BEAR PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION
3. EDUCATION: Our intention is to widen the Educational programmes by providing educational services to the Public through the CEI’s NEW Programme : L’ECOLOGIE, C’EST POUR TOUS
\See EDUCATION page
L’ECOLOGIE, C’EST POUR TOUS program is proposed in response to a well documented need in south central Alberta for hands-on educational program on Ecology and Culture taught in the French language. At present, no such program is in place. The demand is there, but communities are unaware that such a program is possible. Therefore, given the requested funds, L’ECOLOGIE, C’EST POUR TOUS will run from April ’09 to March ’10 as an Introductory program designed to introduce the communities to the program. All participants will be provided with program evaluation facilities. The aim will be program self-sufficiency, the goal appreciation of Canadian French culture and Canadian ecology.