Grouse Mountain Zoo

OPEN LETTER to the District of North Vancouver Mayor and Council

Re: Moratorium on Exhibition and Performances

"In view of the ongoing concerns about animal welfare and public safety on Grouse Mountain, I hope that council will implement a moratorium on all further acquisitions of animals for exhibit and performances.

"Ken Macquisten, former owner of the appalling Vancouver Game Farm, has stated that he plans to acquire numerous species including eagles, elk, marmots, caribou and wolverines. Shortly after leaving the Greater Vancouver Zoo (aka Vancouver Game Farm) he said that he wants to open a "captive breeding centre" with 40 - 50 animals including pandas, tigers, elephants, whooping cranes and burrowing owls. Is he planning this zoo for Grouse Mountain? Is he planning to spend the $400,000 from the BC government on these types of animal exhibits?

"There are numerous wildlife rehabilitation and release organizations that have been caring for many species over the years. They should be supported and receive funds from the BC government. These Ski Resort Zoos must be stopped!"

STOP THE SKI RESORT ZOOS

Licensed rehabilitators in B.C. are usually volunteers. Their primary goal in rehabilitation is to care for injured or orphaned to give them a second chance in the wild. Two B.C. facilities alone, over the last 30 years, have successfully rehabbed 200 black bears and two female grizzly cubs plus many other animals.

This year, two commercial for-profit zoos in B.C., housed on the ski slopes of Kicking Horse and Grouse Mountain have made proposals to obtain more bears. They have done so under the guise of rehabilitation.

"As far as KHGBR is concerned, the people that run it have never rehabilitated anything," says Leona Green, Hillspring Wildlife Rehabilitation Society, "There is a vast difference between rehabilitation and plopping something into a pen." "Rehabilitation of a grizzly bear has been done, so it's definitely feasible," says Anjelika Langen, co-founder of Smithers' Northern Lights Wildlife Society. "But human contact has to be limited. As long as people have access to it, the bear's not in a rehabilitation centre."

Peter Hamilton

Please Help Stop The Ski Resort Zoos - email The Hon Barry Penner, Minister of the Environment at env.minister@gov.bc.ca.In BC the legislative assembly has the NDP as the opposition. In addition to emailing Premier Gordon Campbell and Barry Penner I urge you all to seek the help of Carole James the leader of the NDP at carole.james.mla@leg.bc.ca.