AHWF plans black bear enclosure

By Lyndsie Kiebert
Reader Staff Writer

There are only a handful of facilities in the United States and Canada that have the ability to provide care for black bears in need of rehabilitation.

A black bear cub. Photo courtesy of American Heritage Wildlife Foundation.

If someone in Bonner County came across an orphaned black bear cub, North Idaho’s very own American Heritage Wildlife Foundation could not provide direct rehabilitative care for that cub like they can for several other species in the area.

But now, AHWF is looking to change that.

Through volunteer efforts and community donations, AHWF is planning to build an enclosure appropriate for black bear rehabilitation efforts. The enclosures must be large enough to ensure development of natural foraging behaviors, but secure from other species. Idaho Fish and Game also requires that bears from other states be held in separate enclosures.

AHWF is the only nonprofit in North Idaho that has both IDFG and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permits to provide rehabilitative care for the injured and orphaned non-game mammals and most bird species. Instating a black bear enclosure would expand those animal rehab abilities.

Now through Dec. 31, AHWF is raising funds through www.loveanimals.org. To donate, visit the website and search “Black Bear Rehab.”

To follow the project’s progress and to keep up to date on AHWF’s other happenings, follow the nonprofit on Facebook and Twitter, or visit their website at www.ahwf.org.