Dr. Clayton Lamb examines one of the grizzly bears found with missing front toes. Where did their toes go? That was the mystery that UBC Okanagan postdoctoral researcher Dr. Clayton Lamb, decided to solve. Lamb encountered the phenomenon of grizzly bears with missing toes in the southeastern corner of B.C. while conducting a live capture research program for the University of Alberta. He was looking at the survival rate and movement of the species and noticed that many of the bears were missing some of their front toes. “The first bear we saw could have been explained away as an accident or a single-use situation, but we ended up catching four more bears. In the end, that was about seven percent of the bears we caught, and we realized something much bigger was going on. It was a bit of a trend,” explains Lamb. The researchers discussed the issue with trappers, indigenous communities, scientists, conservation officers, wildlife managers and guides. By comparing data they discovered a pattern and confirmed reports of grizzly bears killed with small mammal traps that kept their bodies still locked to their legs. To test their theory, they set up four traps set so that they could be activated but not completely closed. CCTV footage showed the grizzlies visited all four traps and sprung two of them. “Even with the small sample, it was clear that the baited traps were attracting the bears and that the bears were starting the traps to get the food. We have photos and videos of the bears investigating the traps and handling the boxes with their paws,” Lamb said. The researchers also found that it wasn’t the initial snap of the trap that caused the bears to lose their toes, but the prolonged duration of the trap sticking to their leg. So what can be done? Lamb notes that most of the bears seemed to do well after losing toes, but to prevent pain and suffering he makes two recommendations. He suggests the trapping season for animals such as weasels and weasels be delayed from Nov. 1 to early December, when most grizzlies will be hibernating. The other recommendation is to change the design of the traps. “Patterns of human trapping have changed considerably over the last 20 years. In a way, it’s a bit of a paradox, as wildlife managers and trappers are trying to make traps more ethical so they kill the target species humanely, now they’re very powerful.” He would like to see the box section of the trap narrowed so that the target species can get in, but the bears can’t get in with their feet. Despite the unfortunate destruction of bear numbers by these traps, Dr. Lamb notes that the grizzly population in southeastern B.C. he is quite healthy. He says that where he lives, in the Elk Valley, there are about 180 of the species that coexist with all human activity, including ski hills and coal mines. His research was recently published in the scientific publication Wildlife Society. Photo: Dr. Clayton Lamb an x-ray shows some of the claws and toes missing from a grizzly bear
