Candidate issues plea for orphaned bear cubs found in Nova Scotia woods

HALIFAX — Two orphaned bear cubs whose survival briefly became a Nova Scotia election issue Tuesday have been placed in wildlife parks and will not be euthanized.

Tory candidate Allan MacMaster said the bear cubs were found Monday trying to hide in Inverness County woods after their mother died.

MacMaster, the incumbent in the Inverness riding, said in an open letter to the Department of Natural Resources’ deputy minister that there is overwhelming support to change the province’s current policy on rehabilitation for bears in this type of situation.

He said Nova Scotia is one of only two provinces that do not allow bears to be saved and re-introduced to the wild.

But Bob Petrie, director of DNR’s wildlife division, said Tuesday one cub has been placed at Two Rivers Wildlife Park in Mira, N.S., while the other will be at the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park, 60 kilometres north of Halifax.

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Petrie said DNR policy allows for the rehabilitation of orphaned wildlife, and the province has qualified facilities to hold and rehabilitate wildlife for release.

“However, as bears quickly become used to humans, there is a high chance that they can become nuisance animals in a province like Nova Scotia, where we have a much smaller landscape with fewer remote areas compared to other provinces,” he said in a statement.

He said the cubs would not be offered up for photos.

“Our biologists advise that a photo opportunity involving the cubs would be inappropriate at this time as it could add to the already increased stress the animals are experiencing and their level of health has not yet been determined.”

MacMaster’s open letter referred to a Facebook posting on the orphaned cubs that had more than 46,000 views and 1,000 shares in nine hours.

The Canadian Press