Three orphaned grizzly cubs now on display at the privately-owned Greater Vancouver Zoo represent a disappearing opportunity for survival of a threatened species, says conservationists.
General manager of the zoo, Serge Lussier, said Wednesday, 鈥淭here鈥檚 two options for bears so young when the mother dies is euthanasia, or find an approved zoo.鈥�
The trio were found by Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers in Crowsnest Pass in April after their mother was killed by hunters.
They were sent for care away from the public at the Calgary Zoo, who ended up passing the responsibility to the Aldergrove zoo.
During that time, 104 signatories 鈥� many B.C. and Alberta scientists or conservationists 鈥� , urging the rehabilitation and release of the cubs back into the wild, 鈥済iven that grizzly bears are a threatened species in Alberta,鈥� the letter reads.
More specifically, 鈥渢he age and health of these three cubs make them ideal candidates for the only grizzly cub rehabilitation program in North America, namely the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter in Smithers, B.C.鈥�
The Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resources sent an email statement to the Star, confirming the Smithers鈥� rehabilitation program was ruled out because it 鈥渋s a pilot, and not considered operational.鈥�
鈥淔ormal best management practices for the facility are in the process of being developed. These are critical to standardize facility construction, humane care and handling and proof of concept,鈥� the statement continued.
Co-founder of the shelter, rehabilitationist Angelika Langen, has successfully released 22 bears into the wild during the 13 years the program has been in operation.
鈥淓veryone says we are still in a pilot project and they are awaiting results, yet they don鈥檛 give us the cubs to prove it,鈥� she remarked.
Of the three six-month-old grizzly cubs at Greater Vancouver Zoo 鈥� two of them are female.
鈥淥ur efforts to prove long-term [grizzly bear] survival and re-integration into the wild population would have made a big step forward with the females,鈥� said Langen, noting their reproduction capabilities.
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As it stands, in Alberta there are only 700 surviving grizzly bears, according to the Alberta Wilderness Association. This, compared to 15,000 most recently recorded in B.C. by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.
Of 25 cubs government approved for the Northern Lights Wildlife project, only three were female, Langen emphasized.
B.C. bear researcher/biologist and letter signatory, Wayne McCrory, said the zoo鈥檚 one-acre enclosure is not nearly large enough to house the cubs for the rest of their lives.
鈥淏ears are not social animals. They are very solitary individuals and like to have their own space,鈥� said the grizzly bear researcher and biologist of 40 years.
鈥淭ypically, they range over very large areas, and that鈥檚 their freedom 鈥� that is their home.鈥�
McCrory, also a director with the with the Valhalla Wilderness Committee, said that because the Calgary Zoo purposefully kept the cubs away from the public, they 鈥渉ave a good chance of being rehabilitated鈥� and released back into Alberta wilderness.
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Greater Vancouver Zoo animal care manager, Menita Prasad, maintained that because the cubs are 鈥渉uman imprinted,鈥� it is not ideal for them to be released into wild.
McCrory 鈥� with years of experience reducing human-bear conflict in Kananaskis Country, Alta. 鈥� said the zoo鈥檚 mission of educating Metro Vancouver鈥檚 public about the species is redundant, considering Grouse Mountain already 鈥渢akes care of that with their two captive grizzly bears.鈥�
鈥淯ltimately, the zoo stands to profit by increased attendance from these captive bears,鈥� McCrory said.
B.C. conservationist and director of Bears Matter, Barb Murray, along with other letter signatories, like McCrory, are in a race against time to see a bear rehabilitation expert examine the zoo鈥檚 new cubs to assess whether they are eligible for rehabilitation.
鈥淲e are prepared to pay the expert to fly in,鈥� Murray said, 鈥淪ix months isn鈥檛 that old.鈥�
鈥淯ntil we have a definitive answer from a bear expert it is a question mark we just can鈥檛 answer. Let them be assessed now before their fate is sealed,鈥� she urged.
The zoo in Aldergrove has previously been criticized for how it cares for its animals, particularly large species which have died in its care.
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Lussier, the zoo鈥檚 general manager, insisted the triplets are 鈥渁dapting well to their new surroundings and are having fun discovering their new habitat.鈥�
鈥淲e have the habitats, we have the experts, and were so proud to be a part of this,鈥� he said.
