Gabriola bear gains fame!
Our bear is getting more and more publicity. First this, from the Times Colonist: Bear proves its sea legs with swim to Gulf island.
A black bear has managed to swim to Gabriola Island, quashing the community’s long-standing reputation as a bruin-free zone.
The bear was first spotted May 7 near Twin Beaches and has been seen around the island since, according to the Gabriola Rescue of Wildlife Society.
The group believes the bear swam over during low tide in a hunt for food and will eventually leave. Until then, people are asked to bear-proof their garbage bins and take away bird feeders. [continue]
Then this article from the Daily News: Bear spotted on Gabriola Island.
A black bear managed to swim to Gabriola Island this month, quashing the community’s long-standing reputation as a bruin-free zone.
A Tourism B.C. website (www.hellobc. com) promotes Gabriola Island as having no bears or cougars, and residents say they have not seen bears roaming the area for at least two decades. [continue]
At this rate I expect our bear will make national and international news soon.
Filed in Gabriola Island,wildlife 12 Comments so far
12 Responses to “Gabriola bear gains fame!”
Stetler on 25 May 2012 at 1:09 pm #
Why did the bear swim to Gabriola Island?
Because he couldn’t afford the ferry.
Anon E Mouse on 25 May 2012 at 3:25 pm #
It’s already gone national; I saw the Daily News article reproduced on http://www.canada.com
And I like Stetler’s joke. ;)
Gabriolan on 25 May 2012 at 9:23 pm #
Thanks for the laugh, Stetler! That would be a perfect thing to put on t-shirts and bumper stickers. (Though I don’t think the tourism-promoters would put it on their pamphlets.)
Gabriolan on 25 May 2012 at 9:35 pm #
Anon E Mouse – I expect international news agencies to publish the story any day now. Their take will probably be residents of Canadian island freak the heck out about bear, though.
Elizabeth on 02 Jun 2012 at 1:20 pm #
That bear is freaking us out. The ferry back to Vancouver Island is prepaid so it shouldn’t be a problem. Bye bye bear.
Gabriolan on 06 Jun 2012 at 8:01 pm #
Elizabeth — Yes, but are bears allowed on the ferry?
howard on 07 Jun 2012 at 12:33 pm #
Has any one seen the bear lately??
Karen on 07 Jun 2012 at 4:40 pm #
And is the cougar (4 legged variety) still on Gabe?
Gabriolan on 09 Jun 2012 at 10:42 pm #
Howard — somebody told me a few days ago that signs of bear activity (bits of fur on tree bark, scat) have been spotted at Coats Marsh over the last week.
Karen — I hope not! We’ve had several cougar sightings on Gabriola in the last few years, but they’ve all been in winter-time. I’m hoping that the cougars, at least, push off for the summer.
howard on 12 Jun 2012 at 8:30 am #
thanks for the spotting report i will pass that on .
howard
nick on 12 Jun 2012 at 8:23 pm #
Gabriolan: Elizabeth — Yes, but are bears allowed on the ferry?
Somebody has to say it: of course, but only as dangerous cargo.
It’d be nice to think we could live with a few black bears to help control the deer, but times are changing and I guess our rural paradise is no longer rural enough for that.
Gabriolan on 17 Jun 2012 at 8:56 pm #
I’ll be watching for bears on the Wednesday sailings, nick. :-)