Tex, a young adult male four-year-old grizzly bear, made big news recently with his incredible trek. To get to Texada Island, he had to swim three miles across the wide Malaspina Strait. This young bear’s story is more complex than it seems. Conservation officers on the mainland are familiar with him, as he’s been moved several times for the trouble he’s caused human neighbors. Now living on Texada Island—home to about 1,200 people—Tex’s presence poses troubling implications for wildlife management and public safety.
Prior to his novel swim, Tex was moved twice from cities in which he became a threat to human safety. His quest to Texada Island represents the next chapter in that story. Local leaders and conservationists alike are concerned about what these human-wildlife interactions would mean. Tex has been seen busting onto fishing boats at marinas to steal the bait! He has been spotted menacing pedestrians on shared use paths, causing increasing panic among local residents.
On June 23, just after sunset, Tex was last seen on the island. His behavior indicates that he’s not merely acclimatized but rather testing the waters and looking for food as close to humans as possible. Our local officials find themselves in the position of trying to control this uppity grizzly.
Tex’s actions prompted alarm bells even then, said John Powell, who was then elected chief of the Mamalilikulla First Nation.
“Right now this grizzly bear is a ticking time bomb,” – John Powell
Tex and the humans around him Powell cautioned that Tex will soon meet people, or other dogs. Left unaddressed, such interactions would inevitably turn dangerous—for the bear and the residents alike.
To me this seems like an instance that at some point, the bear will come in contact with a human or other animal. Unless something changes, this meeting is destined for failure. Texada is such a small community … It’s going to definitely kill it there,” he said.
In 2020, the Mamalilikulla First Nation agreed to let the province relocate another bear. This request may very well set a strong precedent for how they treat Tex’s case. The community’s concerns are reflected in broader wildlife management policy in British Columbia. Since the 2019 legislation, this alignment has furthered under the umbrella of provincial laws that harmonize with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Wayne McCrory, one of North America’s most celebrated wildlife biologists, was clear about what would be necessary if Tex was ever moved again.
“Having done field surveys of grizzly bear habitat surveys in the IPCA for the Mamalilikulla I can attest to the fact that the estuary is prime habitat for such a translocation at this time,” – Wayne McCrory
He was a passionate supporter of moving Tex. Otherwise, he cautioned, it would become sadly necessary to euthanize the bear, as well as put the local community at risk.
“I feel [not moving the bear] is a bad mistake that will only lead to the bear’s eventual demise, either [at the hands of conservation officers] or some local residents,” – Wayne McCrory
Provincial officials have reassured the public that no such “kill order” exists on Tex. This decision is puzzling considering the dangers of allowing him to be near people. That still leaves the door open for additional negotiations over his move.
Nicholas Scapillati, head of the Grizzly Bear Foundation, highlighted the need for collaboration between First Nations and provincial authorities to address wildlife management issues effectively.
“If First Nations want to look at how to handle these issues differently then the province has an obligation to talk to them and come up with a solution,” – Nicholas Scapillati
Scapillati feels that Tex’s plight has created a moment for real conversations about reconciling wildlife policies with human safety needs. As bear populations continue to recover, he noted that bears are increasing in the coastal areas.
“This request to translocate Tex is going to open up a whole discussion over how to balance the wildlife policies of various First Nations with the province’s wildlife policies,” he remarked.
Tex’s presence on Texada Island has provided an important wake-up call to local residents about what it means to coexist with wildlife. Scapillati encouraged the community to get ready for possible future encounters with bears.
Texada needs to get prepared. When you live next to nature, bears are simply a part of the experience. We want this to be a community wake-up call. Of course, it’ll have an echo all the way down the coast to every other island,” he said.
As advocates, negotiators, and lawmakers continue to raise their voices to decide Tex’s fate, wildlife experts are reminding communities that patience and education can protect both people and bears.
Yet after decades of effort to restore populations, bears are on the move. And society has to get ready to live with them,” Scapillati wrapped up.