Dear Mayor and Council of North Vancouver District,

Re:Motion for Staff Report on Municipal Permits of Grouse Mountain Wildlife Refuge-delayed until June 20th, Monday, starting 7pm @355W.Queens NVan

I am working with the three bear rehabilitator’s in the province to call for an inquiry into the keeping of wildlife practices at the Grouse Mountain Refuge by the permit holding authorities.

Please support Councilor Crist’s motion Monday night( June 20th), calling for a Staff Report of Grouse Mountain. This will be a very important first step in having a government acknowledge that there needs to be an independent inquiry into wildlife practices at Grouse Refuge, since the arrival of the first two Grizzly cubs in 2001. Since that time the corporation has received two more grizzly cubs in 2002, one now deceased. They have received other various animals including grey wolves and various rare bird species. At this time the Kicking Horse Refuge is awaiting this year’s female grizzly cub from Grande Prairie(now being held at an Edmonton Zoo) that is meant to arrive in September.

Myself and supporters of this motion feel that governments need to ask for a review of the procedures and conditions in consultation with outside experts of the Grouse Mountain containment and care of it’s animals at this time. This should be a standard practice that is observed upon permit renewal from time to time in our province. In light of the recent wolf killing by a grizzly and the previously proposed B.C. government grant of $400,000 to the District of North Vancouver for Grouse Mountain to build an intermediate rehabilitation facility for black bears a review is even more timely and necessary.

I hope you can support this motion to recommend that staff review DNV’s permits and any jurisdiction they have over Grouse Mountain Resorts Ltd. captive wildlife operations.

I will speak during public input time to you all at both the June 13th and June 20th meetings ask for your support of motion. At that time I will also be asking your Council to send a similar letter of recommendation to the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection for a provincial review of their permits to Grouse Mountain Resorts as soon as possible, putting a moratorium on delivery of more animals until review is completed.

If you need more background information on some of the flags that have been raised regarding wildlife practices at Grouse and Kicking Horse or about the proposed rehabilitation facility on Grouse please e-mail me. I will also be available to assist your staff with background information or contact information for wildlife experts and experts in captive wildlife when compiling their report.

Sincerely,

Barb Murray
NSBear Advocate