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THE BELLA COOLA VALLEY — On the far side of the Atnarko River, an adult female grizzly bear walks along a path next to long grasses, climbs up and over logs, paws and sniffs at a couple of spawned-out pink salmon, then moves upstream for fresher fish. A two-year-old cub is close behind, following in mom’s footsteps.

On the near side of the river, half a dozen tourists from as far away as Germany crouch silently in the shadowy, humid rainforest, camera flashes turned off to minimize intrusion.

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They’re here to catch a glimpse of B.C.’s most iconic animal — a source of power, beauty and vulnerability. The relationship between humans and grizzlies is a complex one that is often characterized by emotion rather than facts. Yet, everyone wants a piece of them, to photograph, to shoot, to profit from.

The NDP government plans to ban hunting for grizzlies in 2018 in the Great Bear Rainforest and to limit hunting of grizzlies elsewhere in B.C. to hunting for food only. The ban is a political decision based on widespread public opposition to trophy hunting strongly expressed during the provincial election.