Nova Scotians vote against spring bear hunt

The Nova Scotia government is scuttling plans for a spring bear hunt after a survey revealed a strong divide in the province over the issue.

According to a news release from the government, more than 17,000 Nova Scotians responded to the survey asking for feedback on a proposed bear hunt in the spring. Roughly 51 per cent of respondents were opposed to the idea, 47 per cent supported it, and two per cent 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 (of Natural Resources and Renewables) is committed to maintaining a stable and healthy bear population living in their natural habitat without negatively affecting the ecosystem or creating safety problems in communities,” the release reads.

The release says bear management efforts will include:

• planning a public consultation on proposed regulations to mange inappropriate feeding of wildlife
• clarifying and addressing inconsistencies in wildlife regulations
• seeking feedback on hunting regulations improvements
• 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.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.