Here is a current letter to the editor of the GoldenStar newspaper(Golden,BC) from a woman who has rehabbed wildlife near Dawson Creek and Fort St. John for 30 years. See her letter below. It is really powerful and needs to be circulated. We know that grizzlies have been successfully rehabbed for over 15 years in Russia and Charlie Russsell has done it there and continues too (he wasn’t allowed to do it in Canada). Dr. John Beecham is presenting a paper on bear rehabbing around the world and will include our BC bear rehabbers success and protocols. He has also rehabbed grizzlies himself and written a scientific paper on it……Grizzly rehab is necessary, humane and must be made legal and embraced as we go into this unknown future of ours.
There is also a grizz cub of the year waiting for its fate to be known while it sits in Edmonton Zoo. Rehabbers are suggesting two cubs be put together this winter for best chances to be wild one day.
Barbara Murray
BC Bear Advocates
North Vancouver
Dear Editor,
Wildlife rehabilitators would like your readers to hear our voice, which is at most times silent.
Licensed rehabilitators in B.C. are either volunteers ourselves or depend on volunteers. Our primary goal in rehabilitation is to care for injured or orphaned wildlife with a slim chance of survival, bringing them to the stage where they are given 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 wildlife refuges 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 in the name of rehabilitation.
Five years ago, the resorts managed to obtain four grizzly cubs from the authorities with the same promise of rehabilitation and release. These bears, Grinder, Coola, Boo and Cari (since deceased) are now captive for life, never to be released into the wild. They are being used for 'educational' purposes' by the resorts.
There has been little acknowledgement that bear rehab facilities exist in B.C. The authorities did not approach us to help the previous four grizzly cubs or the three orphan cubs in Banff.
We are speaking out now because we are concerned that Kicking Horse may expand in the future. More healthy, wild cubs could be held in captivity for life. This should not be allowed to happen.
We ask for your help to make sure that no more bears go to Kicking Horse or Grouse Mountain in the name of rehabilitation. Please email the Minister of the Environment at env.minister@gov.bc.ca.
Leona Green
Hillspring Wildlife Rehabilitation Society
Dawson Creek, BC