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LETTER: Kudos to Koot for bear rescues amid COVID-19 pandemic

Editor:
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Lydia Koot serendipitously came walking by Memorial Park the morning of Monday, June 15, on her way to rescue two real bear cubs up the Skagit. In the meantime, she got to hold onto a wooden cub and witness its installation in a tree at the downtown Hope park. Emelie Peacock/Hope Standard

Editor:

Kudos to Lydia Koot, a humble, long time resident of Hope who drives way up into the bush (during COVID, on her own) to help save cubs whose mothers were shot or hit by vehicles. She takes them to one of the bear sanctuaries in B.C. for rehabilitation.

In the July 2 edition of the Standard we are told of a responsible hunter who reported some cubs to the conservation officer (rationale for lower fines) as he mistakenly killed the sow, not knowing they were with her.

I can’t think of a better needy cause at the moment since she has rescued five cubs so far this summer. Cubs will die of starvation if hunters dont report this error as it’s against the law.

If you want to donate for cost of gas, cages, etcetera and are able, please donate what you can to the Hope Mountain Black Bear Committee (www.hopemountain.org)

Whether we agree with hunting or not, Im sure we agree that patience and responsible behaviour is essential in in order to save cubs’ lives.

Ruth Renwick