COVID-19 continues to be tough on people. But it might be doing good things for the grizzly bears of B.C.含羞草研究社檚 central coast.

A positive outcome of the COVID-19 shutdown for the Klemtu-based Kitasoo-Xai含羞草研究社橷ais First Nation, was the opportunity to study tourism含羞草研究社檚 impact on the grizzly bears in their region.

The Kitasoo-Xai含羞草研究社橷ais reserve has maintained a shutdown since the pandemic began and will continue to do so until further notice. This gave the community the perfect chance to invest in a research program that could be conducted only in the absence of tourists.

Dr. Christina Service, the lead scientist in charge of the project with the Resource Stewardship Department of the Kitasoo-Xai含羞草研究社橷ai Nation, was glad that they mobilized really quickly when the situation presented itself and deployed 40 infrared cameras which are triggered when the animals walk by.

含羞草研究社淪ince we含羞草研究社檙e not going to have tourism in the territory this year, it provided a remarkably unique situation where we could essentially study and take baseline conditions to see what these bears will do in the absence of tourism.含羞草研究社�

The cameras will be taken down in October and the recordings will be used to analyze behaviour patterns and to get a sense of how the bears choose to spend their time in the absence of humans. The process will be repeated and cameras will be re-installed again in spring 2021, when hopefully tourism activity will have resumed again.

The results will then be compared to arrive at a sustainable management plan for a conservation-based economy for the community, said Service.

含羞草研究社淪o we含羞草研究社檙e looking at factors like 含羞草研究社榳hat areas should humans be restricted to that have the least impact on bears?含羞草研究社� Or, 含羞草研究社榳hat time of the day does tourism heavily impact bears?含羞草研究社� There will definitely be some interesting patterns to see.含羞草研究社�

Since the research is spread over two years, Service said it will be a while before they have concrete answers. But the study will help provide the 含羞草研究社渂est available information含羞草研究社� to formulate a management plan.

The First Nation has seen increased pressure from tourism since the Great Bear Rainforest was established and visitors started coming to the territory to learn more. And though tourism opportunities are welcomed, the First Nation also indicated its desire to conserve the bears in their region.

Service commended the Kitasoo-Xai含羞草研究社橷ais First Nation for their 含羞草研究社渋nterest, capacity and desire含羞草研究社� to invest in such a research program, especially at a time when there含羞草研究社檚 so much uncertainty with the pandemic.