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.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檒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香蕉视频直播檙e all over B.C. in the next three weeks,香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 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,香蕉视频直播� she said.

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

香蕉视频直播淭hey always get released at about a year-and-a-half,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 when the mother kicks them off because she香蕉视频直播檚 going to get bred again by a male and the male would be a danger to the cubs.

香蕉视频直播淭his is the normal time when they香蕉视频直播檙e genetically primed to be on their own. They香蕉视频直播檙e teenagers now, so they can香蕉视频直播檛 wait to move out from home.

香蕉视频直播淭he other reason we try to do it at this time of year is because the adults are busy with each other; they香蕉视频直播檙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香蕉视频直播檚 a big boar around.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 lots of food and bears do share, so if there香蕉视频直播檚 lots of food around, again, there香蕉视频直播檚 less chance of predation.

香蕉视频直播淎ll around, it香蕉视频直播檚 the best time for them to go out, the berries are coming now and there香蕉视频直播檚 lots of greens, so they have a good chance of getting themselves settled and not lose a whole lot of weight.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淥bviously when we drive in somewhere we don香蕉视频直播檛 know what香蕉视频直播檚 living there, but we look for signs of bear activity and we try to pick areas where we don香蕉视频直播檛 see many signs, but [where there is] good food and water.香蕉视频直播�

That doesn香蕉视频直播檛 mean there isn香蕉视频直播檛 sometimes trouble. Angelica said there have been cases when it looks like they香蕉视频直播檝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

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 nothing you can do about that,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淎ll the areas are occupied and it香蕉视频直播檚 normal for the young ones that they have to move.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淭he primary reason why we get bears is highway or train collisions, I would say that香蕉视频直播檚 about 75 per cent of the cubs we get come from those reasons.香蕉视频直播�

The second most common cause is nuisance bears being shot.

香蕉视频直播淲hen people leave their attractants out, and they don香蕉视频直播檛 clean up their garbage and don香蕉视频直播檛 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,香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙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,香蕉视频直播� Angelica said. 香蕉视频直播淚f we don香蕉视频直播檛 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.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 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香蕉视频直播檒l go through a bag in a week-and-a-half.香蕉视频直播�

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

香蕉视频直播淲hen you have a 150-pound bear in there and you have 30 of them, they do a lot of damage,香蕉视频直播� she said.

editor@interior-news.com
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