Article in Golden Star newspaper in Golden, BC

If you support Wildsight's stand which is the best way to keep these cubs wild then please write to these three e-mail addresses asking them to consider other options. Kicking Horse Resort has no expertise in rehabilitation of bears. There are bear rehabbers that could take cubs if necessary but these cubs know how to forage for food and hibernate at their age of 9mos-10mos.

Banff.Superintendent@pc.gc.ca = Parks Canada

editor@banffcragandcanyon.com = Newspaper in Banff

editor@thegoldenstar.net = Newspaper in Golden

Sep 07 2005

Local environmental group Wildsight is asking Parks Canada to abandon any plans it might have to relocate to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (KHMR) a set of recently orphaned grizzly bear cubs.
"My organization vigorously opposes more bears being relocated to KHMR, where the priority management emphasis is on tourism rather than conservation," Ellen Zimmerman, Upper Columbia Program Manager for Wildsight wrote last week in a letter to Banff field unit superintendent Jillian Roulet.
"This facility, regardless of how it might be portrayed by the resort, is a zoo."
Bear 66, Banff's best-known grizzly, was killed by a CP Rail train eight kilometres east of Castle Junction on August 19. In the wake of the tragedy, much concern has been raised over the fate of the sow's three cubs.
While some feel the young bears are better off left in their natural environment, the fact that they have no experience building a den for winter hibernation has prompted Parks to explore alternatives.
Early last week, officials with Parks' Banff-Field unit confirmed that members of its team made a visit to KHMR.
"Certainly [the visit] has given us a clearer picture of what the facility can offer and is still one of the options we're looking at," said Pam Veinotte, communications manager for Parks.
"But our goal is still to see if we can keep the bears in the Banff ecosystem over the long term."
Veinotte said that "until we know their future", Parks will focus on helping the cubs reach their first denning season.
"But that does not preclude us taking another option, should that be required," she added. "If they ended up in town and started to get into trouble, then obviously we may have to move faster - we may have to adjust our thinking."
In her letter to Parks, Zimmerman said that: "KHMR is incapable of preparing grizzly bears for reintroduction to the wild. Relocating cubs at KHMR condemns them to a captive life.
"My organization would view any collaboration between Parks and KHMR...as a rejection of the committment and mandate of the National Parks to ensure the ecological integrity of Parks."
Veinotte wouldn't characterize Parks officials' impressions following their inspection of KHMR, saying only that "the visit to the facility provided us with a lot of information...I guess we got a clear idea of what can and cannot be offered...it's still an option on the table."
For its part, KHMR last week reiterated its intention to let Parks initiate any relocation strategy for the cubs.
"We want to work with these guys," said Michael Dalzell, director of resort sales and marketing. "We are waiting for some type of proposal to be tabled and from there we'll do our assessment of how we want to move forward."