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Slow down, save wildlife

Editor: I was the first person to arrive at that heart wrenching scene on Aug. 8 where two tiny black bear cubs were struck by a hit-and-run driver on Highway 40 in Kananaskis.

Editor:

I was the first person to arrive at that heart wrenching scene on Aug. 8 where two tiny black bear cubs were struck by a hit-and-run driver on Highway 40 in Kananaskis. One cub lay dead in the northbound lane and the other was gravely wounded. While waiting for the park ranger to arrive a few of us directed traffic around the wounded cub. The mom kept her distance.

For safety’s sake we made sure we were right beside our cars should mom decide to make a move. Finally the park ranger arrived (rifle in hand) as the tiny wounded cub headed up towards the trees where its mom was hiding. I left at that point, continuing my journey south, knowing the inevitable outcome for the wounded cub.

Although I didn’t see the vehicle that hit the cubs it happened seconds before I arrived. The stretch of highway where the mom and cubs were crossing was a flat stretch of highway with good visibility. Likely speed was a factor.

According to John Paczkowski, Kananaskis park ecologist “no one reported the incident and parks staff later discovered the bears there.” (Rocky Mountain Outlook, Aug. 16). While the facts aren’t important at this point, since both cubs are now dead, I just wanted to say that it was reported. It took some time for the park ranger to arrive as there was no cell service in that particular area. The fact is that people need to SLOW down. More signage, visitor education, and highway speed enforcement would go a long way to mitigate further wildlife deaths.

Deborah Cameron Banff

(Editor’s note):

The carnage continues. Last weekend, two more black bears were killed by motorists. On Saturday (Aug. 18), bears on Highway 93 North and on the Trans-Canada near Field were struck and killed by vehicles. The death toll now stands at 12 black bears killed on national park roads and four more on the railway tracks.

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