Orphaned bear from Port rescued
Julia Caranci
Alberni Valley Times
Monday, June 16, 2008
A young bear cub rescued from the woods surrounding Port Alberni has a new lease on life.
According to Sue Beatty at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (NIWRC), two hikers spotted a severely injured bear believed to be the mother of the cub while on a hiking trail near the city.
The sow had a broken back and crushed leg -- she was likely hit by a car.
Next, the hikers found her cub wandering alone.
Conservation officers were called, and the cub rescued and delivered to the wildlife centre last Wednesday afternoon.
"She's perfectly healthy," Beatty said of the new arrival, adding the cub who weighs eight pounds has been named Elizabeth and will join a second cub that was brought to the centre two weeks ago.
Victoria, a three-month old bear, was also spotted alone -- she was found wandering a stretch of highway near Port Alice and brought to the centre.
Elizabeth and Victoria have become rehab roommates -- they will live together in the centre's bear rehabilitation enclosure.
The cubs are getting to know each other.
"I think they will get along," Beatty said. "Victoria was there first so she's a little bossy -- she takes swipes at Elizabeth every now and then."
The pair will be raised for release in about 18 months to two years in a specially designed enclosure that limits contact with human beings.
However, the public can view the bears on camera at the center.
The purpose of the isolation is to prevent bears from "imprinting".
Bears that lose their fear of human beings can become habituated, and begin frequenting residential areas looking for easy meals -- a situation common in Island communities like Port Alberni. Such bears are regularly destroyed because of human-bear conflict.
But if bears are raised to fear humans and find their own food, there is a better chance they can be released into the wild again successfully.
Last November, the centre released three rehabilitated bears that were housed in the enclosure -- two of them were orphaned cubs found denned inside a cedar stump just outside Port Alberni.
Those bears spent 17 months in the enclosure on an intense feeding regime -- they were also provided with anti-human conditioning to ensure they would not try to make their way back to a populated area after release.
It is hoped that after about a year-and-a-half, the new cubs will be independent enough to be released into the wild.
Bear cubs are very expensive to raise for release -- those who wish to help can make a donation, adopt an animal or attend one of the centre's events.
Volunteers are also desperately needed to help maintain the grounds and care for the animals.
The NIWRC is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day until Oct. 31, 2008.
For more information, call 250-248-8534 or visit www.niwra.org.
© Alberni Valley Times 2008
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