Do You Care About Bears?
We at Bears Matter care about bears. Our mission is to convince others to care about bears as much as we do and to fight for their welfare, habitat and rights. Are you convinced, yet?
Bears are highly evolved, intelligent, sentient beings and a critical part of the natural world. For as long as humankind has walked the Earth, bears have contributed to our culture, society, economy, ecology, and spirituality.
Are you looking to step out of the shadow and give a bear hug to the cause? Follow Bears Matter in the conservation of this essential species.
Our Goals at Bears Matter
Our ultimate goal at Bears Matter is to persuade decision makers to adopt improved, sciences-based, compassionate wildlife-conservation policies and practices to protect this essential species.
In the coming decade it is our wish to see a significant reduction in the number of human-bear conflicts, bring an end to the spring bear hunt and eliminate trophy hunting. Our hope is that with these progressive changes there will be less need to manage, rehabilitate, relocate and kill bears. It is our eternal quest that one day humans will again live, as our ancestors lived, in harmony with bears and nature.
Rescue & Release (Rehabilitation) Instead of Confinement
Bears Matter fully supports privately funded rescue, recovery & release of wild, orphaned and/or injured cubs so that they may be given a second chance. Note Added July 2021: Bears Matter does not support the risks and expense involved in the collaring of released wild-born cubs. If government mandates rescue facilities to track released cubs it is especially important to not re-collar after the cubs have outgrown the first collars. Of course the best possible tracking scenario is for researchers to adopt new tracking technologies that are less invasive and carry less risk of death, injury or human intervention.
Often, it is the conservation of individual bears that aids research and education. Wildlife Rescuers ( or Rehabilitators) here in British Columbia nurture and give security to orphaned bears (under 12 months) in preparation for returning them to the challenges of the wilderness. Governments at home and around the world do not typically fund bear conservation organizations and definitely not wildlife rescuers (with the exception of The Chinese government Panda Bear Recovery Program).
What We Do at Bears Matter
At Bears Matter, we use a variety of tools to get the word out to the public and governments about the importance of bear conservation and the need to change or update policies.
Through this website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram,
we provide a forum for sharing articles, letters, research, and objectives in bear conservation.
We share information and science about bear behaviour and explain the need to preserve bear habitat. We advocate for bear protection and encourage funding for specific bear conservation issues and campaigns.
We are a significant group of like-minded people who share our love and concern for the survival and welfare of wild and urban bears, and we invite you to join with us.
We Remain Independent
We at Bears Matter advocate for bears with the purest of intentions, and remain as independent as possible.
Our work is voluntary and self-funded. We have never personally benefitted financially from any individual, agency, organization or business and we never will.
It is our sincere wish that our work at Bears Matter will inspire others to speak up for bears in their home areas around the world, with the message that all eight species of bears are critically important and should remain wild and viable for generations to come!
Sincerely,
Barb Murray
Bears Matter, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
