Media Releases

Animal Justice Calls for Release of Grizzly Cubs to Rehab, Not Zoo

Animal Justice Canada (“Animal Justice”) calls on Superintendent Dan Wenk of Yellowstone National Park to release the two cubs of Blaze, the mother grizzly bear recently killed by park officials, to a wildlife rehabilitation center with the aim of preparing them to be released back into the wild, rather than to a zoo for public display.

“Grizzly bears belong in the wild. Zoos are unable to recreate grizzly bears’ natural habitat and inadequate facilities with issues such as lack of space, lack of privacy, lack of stimulation, improper diet and excessive noise lead to behavioural stress, poor health and animal suffering.

We call on Superintendent Dan Wenk of Yellowstone National Park to act in the best interest of the bear cubs by releasing them to a wildlife rehabilitation centre with the aim of returning them to the wild and not to a zoo for public display,” said Nick Wright, Executive Director of Animal Justice Canada.

Yellowstone National Park reportedly announced the killing of Blaze, orphaning her two cubs, in response to a fatal bear attack on a solo off-trail hiker on Friday August 7th. The park is now purportedly contemplating sending the orphaned cubs to a zoo for permanent public display.

One wildlife rehabilitation centre in British Columbia, Northern Lights Wildlife Society, offered on Thursday to work with the park to facilitate the care of the cubs for re-release into the wild next year.

Animal Justice Canada is a Canadian Registered Charity (#80399 7212 RR0001) dedicated to advancing public knowledge of animal practices and preventing the abuse and killing of animals through the enforcement of existing laws.