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Meet Whistler’s real locals

A Whistler Bear Story introduces Jeanie, Fitz, Katie, Marissa, Slip and friends to the human set
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A Whistler Bear Story by Sylvia Dolson & Katherine Fawcett

63 pp., $14.95.

 

It takes a while to be considered a "local" in Whistler, but there's a select set of long-time residents who can safely claim that title without any qualms - Whistler's beloved black bears.

The many black bears who live in the valley are a big part of the day-to-day lives of year-round residents, seasonal workers and tourists, who all feel a little chill of surprise run up their spines when they spy one of the ubiquitous ursine lumbering down the Valley Trail or searching for berries in the bushes.

But few of us take the time to learn about these magnificent animals, beyond the very basics (like storing your garbage properly). However, Whistler's self-proclaimed "bear lady" is aiming to change that with her latest book, A Whistler Bear Story.

Sylvia Dolson, executive director of the Get Bear Smart Society, has actually authored two books on bears this year alone - Bear-ology: Fascinating Bear Facts, Tales & Trivia and now, A Whistler Bear Story . And an idea for a third book is already percolating. This most recent text, however, is far different than Bear-ology ; it's a first-hand account or personal introduction, if you will, to some of the community's best-known black bears.

"They all have their own stories, they're all individuals with unique personalities and they've got things to do every day, they've got friends, some of them have rivals, they have families, they have social networks... Some of the young bears have mentors that they learn from," Dolson explained.

She wanted to give people a glimpse into what the life of Whistler bears is really like, chronicling the lives of Jeanie, Fitz, Katie, Marissa and Slip as they struggle to live peacefully in the valley. And if anyone can tell their story, it's Dolson, who has spent the past 13 years observing and photographing the bears.

"I've been photographing the bears since I came here and I've always been an avid photographer. So I had all these photos accumulated and I really wanted to do something with them and to inspire people," she explained.

"When I'm taking my photographs I really strive to show a real and honest representation of bears and one that reveals their true nature. I'm really opposed as an educator to front-page magazine shots of snarling bears. Those are animal actors that are trained to do that! That is not what they do."

Dolson co-wrote the text with another local author, Katherine Fawcett, providing a wealth of information from her field notes and observations of the bears.

Dolson also wanted to explore the way in which Whistlerites co-exist with bears.

"We're very unique in North America in the way that we live with bears. They're so intertwined in our daily lives during bear season and they're just part of the fabric of Whistler, so we wanted to tell that story. But I also wanted to tell the story of some individual bears."

The book is meant to be an educational tool, filled with loads of practical information presented in an easy-to-read and appealing format.

"I like to do books that are fun... and a joy to read," said Dolson. "Nothing heavy, nothing textbooky - just really interesting and fun!"

She has been observing the infamous Jeanie longer than any other bear.

"She's an older girl," Dolson said with a laugh. "It's kind of sad because she's in her grandmother years and it's like when your pets get old, those years when you're going, 'oh god, I hope we get another year together!'"

The 2009 season was tough for many mother bears and Jeanie in particular, as the 20-year-old bear lost all three of her cubs.

"That was just really sad and a little bit unusual. Jeanie is such a good mother and she's a fierce protector of her cubs, so none of us really know what happened. We can only assume that it was predatory behaviour on another animal's part."

Fawcett, a journalist and freelance writer, has lived in Whistler for almost 10 years. But her passion for Whistler's bears wasn't ignited until she embarked on this project with Dolson.

"Her photos really inspired me and definitely gave life to the words," said Fawcett.

Fawcett interviewed Dolson, conservation officers and bear biologists in the process of creating the text, exploring the cultural history of how humans perceive bears throughout the years, ranging from bear worshippers of ancient times, to the exploitation of the creatures as entertainment at circuses and even the fear of bears as ferocious killers.

"It was a pleasure to put together something that I feel strongly about as well."

Both women are pleased with the final product, which has proven to be quite popular with Whistler retailers like Armchair Books, IGA, Smile Shop, Carlbergs, Cultural Centre, Whistler's Foto Source and Home Hardware, which have been carrying it since it was released at the end of November.

Dolson has also just started working with a distributor and hopes to make the self-published book available through major retailers soon. All of the proceeds from the book will go towards the Get Bear Smart Society, which has lost funding this year.

"It just gets worse every year, and I guess that's why I'm focusing so much on the merchandise because it's the one thing that's kept us afloat," Dolson said.

The book itself is, of course, dedicated to Whistler's bears.

"I dedicate my life to the bears, so it only seemed right," Dolson said. "I mean, the book is about the bears, it's for the bears - much of what I do is for the bears."