Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter has begun its annual release of bears into the wild.

Last year, the shelter, located just east of Smithers on the Telkwa High Road, took in 32 black bear orphans and two grizzlies. The first three were released between Kitwanga and Houston last weekend.

Five more will be going out this weekend in the Fort St. John area and for the rest of the month, the Northern Lights team will be on the road.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l go down towards Williams Lake and [release] bears there, then we have bears in the Prince George region, we have bears up in Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake, over to Jade City as well and then we need to go down to the Rosslyn and Castlegar area and then over to Cranbrook, so weB次元官网网址檙e all over B.C. in the next three weeks,B次元官网网址� said Angelica Langen, Northern Lights co-founder with husband Peter Langen.

WATCH: B次元官网网址 of 29 black bear orphans eating breakfast at Northern Lights Animal Shelter

The two grizzlies will be released in Bella Coola.

Angelica said 2018 was a fairly typical year.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 becoming standard, between 30 and 40 bears every year, the most we had was almost 50 and we can take over 60, we have room,B次元官网网址� she said.

She explained the June release is based primarily on the natural cycle of cub weaning.

B次元官网网址淭hey always get released at about a year-and-a-half,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 when the mother kicks them off because sheB次元官网网址檚 going to get bred again by a male and the male would be a danger to the cubs.

B次元官网网址淭his is the normal time when theyB次元官网网址檙e genetically primed to be on their own. TheyB次元官网网址檙e teenagers now, so they canB次元官网网址檛 wait to move out from home.

B次元官网网址淭he other reason we try to do it at this time of year is because the adults are busy with each other; theyB次元官网网址檙e less likely to hunt the young ones down so (the cubs) have four or five weeks to kind of get their bearing and get the hell out of the area if thereB次元官网网址檚 a big boar around.B次元官网网址�

Finally, she said, the abundance of food at this time of year helps.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 lots of food and bears do share, so if thereB次元官网网址檚 lots of food around, again, thereB次元官网网址檚 less chance of predation.

B次元官网网址淎ll around, itB次元官网网址檚 the best time for them to go out, the berries are coming now and thereB次元官网网址檚 lots of greens, so they have a good chance of getting themselves settled and not lose a whole lot of weight.B次元官网网址�

Shelter workers also try to avoid putting the cubs into a tough situation.

B次元官网网址淥bviously when we drive in somewhere we donB次元官网网址檛 know whatB次元官网网址檚 living there, but we look for signs of bear activity and we try to pick areas where we donB次元官网网址檛 see many signs, but [where there is] good food and water.B次元官网网址�

That doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean there isnB次元官网网址檛 sometimes trouble. Angelica said there have been cases when it looks like theyB次元官网网址檝e found a safe drop-off spot and the next thing that happens is a big male will show up.

READ MORE: Saving a bear at Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 nothing you can do about that,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎ll the areas are occupied and itB次元官网网址檚 normal for the young ones that they have to move.B次元官网网址�

June is also the busy time of year for rescues. So far in 2019, the shelter has taken in 10 black bear cubs and one deer fawn and Angelica is anticipating many more.

The main cause is traffic, she said.

B次元官网网址淭he primary reason why we get bears is highway or train collisions, I would say thatB次元官网网址檚 about 75 per cent of the cubs we get come from those reasons.B次元官网网址�

The second most common cause is nuisance bears being shot.

B次元官网网址淲hen people leave their attractants out, and they donB次元官网网址檛 clean up their garbage and donB次元官网网址檛 like when the bear comes around and has an easy meal, then, if the calls keep coming in, the conservation officers, by law, have no other choice than taking out those bears and that then creates more orphans,B次元官网网址� she explained.

Consequently, now is also the most expensive time of year for Northern Lights and the push is on to bring in the donations.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e totally funded by the public and by donations so we rely on getting these donations and that dictates how many bears we can take in,B次元官网网址� Angelica said. B次元官网网址淚f we donB次元官网网址檛 get the support, we have to reduce the numbers, because we have to look after them until next year, so I need to know that we can feed them and look after them.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 always this time of year, fundraising for the kilometres that we have to cover and then also for all these little guys that are coming in now, the milk is very expensive, like a bag of bear milk is about $145 and weB次元官网网址檒l go through a bag in a week-and-a-half.B次元官网网址�

There is also the expense of maintenance on the pens and structures.

B次元官网网址淲hen you have a 150-pound bear in there and you have 30 of them, they do a lot of damage,B次元官网网址� she said.

editor@interior-news.com
Like us on and follow us on