Banff washroom bear cubs Ontario-bound
Parks Canada says trio headed to 'reputable' rehab facility
The adventure isn't over yet for three bear cubs found under mysterious circumstances in a Banff park outhouse.
Parks Canada says the youngsters will soon be making the long trip out east to Ontario where they will learn how to fend for themselves.
On Thursday, the agency confirmed the baby black bears are headed to the Aspen Valley rehabilitation facility, north of Toronto.
In a statement, Parks Canada says it took the necessary time to find the most appropriate location to relocate the cubs.
It says it found a rehabilitation facility that is reputable, has sufficient space, expertise, and a track record of success with this sort of situation.
It plans to return the bears back to the mountain park landscape after rehabilitation.
Alberta effectively outlawed the rehabilitation of bears about six years ago, citing concerns over public safety and how the animals fare in the wild once they've become habituated to humans.
Local wildlife refuges exist but are forbidden from taking bears and releasing them back into the wild without special permission from the provincial government.
It's still unclear how the three cubs ended up trapped inside an outdoor public washroom at the side of the Trans-Canada Highway, just west of the Banff townsite.
A park visitor who stopped to use the facilities discovered the animals and contacted Parks Canada.
There was no sign of the cubs' mother or any bear activity in the area.
Parks Canada is currently working on the transfer details and will provide more information on the bears' upcoming trip in the coming days.
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