Nova Scotia's first black bear cub rehabilitation centre aims to open in spring
CBC
Wildlife rehabilitation group Hope for Wildlife is in the process of getting Nova Scotia's first black bear cub rehabilitation centre up and running by the spring.
The 40-hectare enclosure will be located in a remote area of Cape Breton to reduce the possibility of human contact.
Orphaned black bear cubs will be given shelter and care with the aim of returning them to the wild.
For Hope Swinimer, the organization's founder and operator, the project brings her one step closer to a dream she's had for 20 years.
Speaking to CBC Radio's Information Morning Nova Scotia, Swinimer said the centre is part of the organization's environmental conservation mission.
"We've been striving toward this for a long time and we just couldn't be happier and genuinely delighted."
Swinimer said there was an acute need for this type of facility as the province previously lacked a legal pathway to care for orphaned cubs.
Recent progress follows years of discussion with the Department of Natural Resources.
"The reason times are changing and we're able to move forward slowly ... is just a constant back and forth between Hope for Wildlife and DNR," she said.
"Lately it's been in a very respectful way and we seem to be making headway."
Swinimer said she believes public conversation around a proposed spring bear hunt helped bring attention to the issue of rehabilitation.
She said the public became aware that wildlife rehabilitation for black bears is done all over the world and helped her organization build its case.
According to Swinimer, a key part of Hope for Wildlife's mission is education.
The bear program will expand that mandate and help the public learn about coexistence and safety, she said.
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