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Protections needed for bear hibernation dens: Cowichan expert

Davis has been researching bear dens for more than 30 years
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Crystal Weaver and her husband were surprised to find a bear bedding down under the deck of the Weaver family home this winter. (Courtesy of Crystal Weaver)

While the discovery of a bear under the deck of a family near the Cowichan River recently was a shock, it’s not necessarily unusual according to one researcher.

If there are fish in the river, bears might not hunker down for the winter right away, but they will eventually, says Helen Davis, a biologist with Duncan-based Artemis Wildlife Consultants.

The problem is, there are fewer and fewer natural places for them to hibernate due to logging practices and that’s why we’re seeing them snuggled into more peculiar places.

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