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.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檒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 we含羞草研究社檙e all over B.C. in the next three weeks,含羞草研究社� said Angelica Langen, Northern Lights co-founder with husband Peter Langen.
WATCH: Video 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.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 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,含羞草研究社� she said.
She explained the June release is based primarily on the natural cycle of cub weaning.
含羞草研究社淭hey always get released at about a year-and-a-half,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 when the mother kicks them off because she含羞草研究社檚 going to get bred again by a male and the male would be a danger to the cubs.
含羞草研究社淭his is the normal time when they含羞草研究社檙e genetically primed to be on their own. They含羞草研究社檙e teenagers now, so they can含羞草研究社檛 wait to move out from home.
含羞草研究社淭he other reason we try to do it at this time of year is because the adults are busy with each other; they含羞草研究社檙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 there含羞草研究社檚 a big boar around.含羞草研究社�
Finally, she said, the abundance of food at this time of year helps.
含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 lots of food and bears do share, so if there含羞草研究社檚 lots of food around, again, there含羞草研究社檚 less chance of predation.
含羞草研究社淎ll around, it含羞草研究社檚 the best time for them to go out, the berries are coming now and there含羞草研究社檚 lots of greens, so they have a good chance of getting themselves settled and not lose a whole lot of weight.含羞草研究社�
Shelter workers also try to avoid putting the cubs into a tough situation.
含羞草研究社淥bviously when we drive in somewhere we don含羞草研究社檛 know what含羞草研究社檚 living there, but we look for signs of bear activity and we try to pick areas where we don含羞草研究社檛 see many signs, but [where there is] good food and water.含羞草研究社�
That doesn含羞草研究社檛 mean there isn含羞草研究社檛 sometimes trouble. Angelica said there have been cases when it looks like they含羞草研究社檝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
含羞草研究社淭here含羞草研究社檚 nothing you can do about that,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淎ll the areas are occupied and it含羞草研究社檚 normal for the young ones that they have to move.含羞草研究社�
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.
含羞草研究社淭he primary reason why we get bears is highway or train collisions, I would say that含羞草研究社檚 about 75 per cent of the cubs we get come from those reasons.含羞草研究社�
The second most common cause is nuisance bears being shot.
含羞草研究社淲hen people leave their attractants out, and they don含羞草研究社檛 clean up their garbage and don含羞草研究社檛 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,含羞草研究社� 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.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙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,含羞草研究社� Angelica said. 含羞草研究社淚f we don含羞草研究社檛 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.
含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 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 we含羞草研究社檒l go through a bag in a week-and-a-half.含羞草研究社�
There is also the expense of maintenance on the pens and structures.
含羞草研究社淲hen you have a 150-pound bear in there and you have 30 of them, they do a lot of damage,含羞草研究社� she said.
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