An unprecedented number of young bear cubs have been taken to Critter Care Wildlife Society's rehab centre in Langley, including some from the Tri-Cities, prompting the non-profit organization to put out a call for money and help to support them.
As many as 29 bears have been brought to the five-acre facility, many of them severely underweight, with more on the way, bringing to 32 the number of young bruins Critter Care expects to work with over the winter.
Three of those are from Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, brought in by conservation officers this fall, according to Gail Martin, executive director of the facility, who said the wildlife centre usually gets seven bears from outlying districts, sometimes 18 in a bad year.
"This is a bad, bad year," Martin said.
Caring for the bears, feeding them and then releasing them in the spring is the goal, she said, noting, "Thats's really all that we can do."
She doesn't know the reason for the influx, only that many are showing up malnourished. In fact, many of the cubs don't have enough fat on their bodies to hibernate. Typically, a bear cub should weigh about 60 lb. this time of year but those that are showing up at Critter Care are just 28 to 40 lb. About seven bears that arrived earlier this year did fatten up in time and are all sleeping together.
To help the others gain weight, Critter Care staff and volunteers have put the bears on a diet of kibble and fruit and vegetables. Once they are deemed healthy, they can be put into an outdoor enclosure with other small bears that arrived earlier.
The problem is, Critter Care is also running out of space and needs to build a second enclosure.
To that end, the organization is fundraising for food and materials, and is looking for corporate sponsors, including fencing companies that might build the enclosure for free.
"We are a mammal centre, dealing with our native wildlife — it's not just bear cubs we do. Unfortunately, when you have that many, they eat all the food."
The long-term prognosis of these bears is also uncertain. When it comes time to relocate them, B.C. conservation officers will have to find a location far enough away that they don't arrive back in town, and somewhere they can survive that isn't inhabited by established bears.
HOW TO HELP
To help, the following opportunities are available:
• Shop at the Critter Care Wildlife Society Christmas Shopping Spree, Dec. 7 to 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 481-216th St., Langley. Critter Care cards, calendars, socks, hoodies and other apparel is available.
• Donate to Critter Care by clicking on Help Us Help Critters at crittercarewildlife.org. You can also volunteer, doing tasks such as cutting up the food for the bear buckets, becoming a member, sponsoring an animal or providing food (a supply wish list is on the website).
