Volunteers build den for injured young bear west of Calgary

A group of volunteers have built a den for an injured bear living in a field west of Calgary.

The two-year-old black bear has sparked debate in the local conservationist and animal rights community over the past month. Alberta Parks has asked the public leave the bear alone and has not intervened to treat or relocate the bruin.

A provincial law prevents black bears from being placed into rehabilitation centres because captivity prevents them from surviving in the wild.

However, a vocal group of Calgarians has been advocated for intervention to help the bear that is visibly injured and under weight.

Trying to increase chances of survival

"His chances don't look that good but we're making really big efforts to try to increase those chances," wildlife biologist Lisa Dahlseide told the Calgary Eyeopener on Thursday. "We sincerely hope that he does make it through the winter."

The den was created out of two boxes, one inside the other, made from plywood. In between, the den is insulated with rock wool, the material that's used to insulate homes. There's an opening at the front for the bear to enter.

The box is only 121 cm long, 76 cm tall and 61 wide.

"It's not very big. The bear is pretty small, actually," Dahlseide said. "So we want it to be nice and cosy in there for him or her."

• Hear more about the people trying to help the injured bear:

On Tuesday, she posted on Facebook asking for honey donations, but in the interview Thursday, she said she would not be using food to lure the bear to the den because that is illegal — feeding wild animals can habituate them to the assistance.

But Dahlseide also worries the den won't be enough to help to keep the bear alive.

The bear is "extremely underweight," she said, and perhaps without enough body fat to survive a winter hibernating. She would like the province to issue a special permit to let a local animal rehabilitation facility take the bear in for the winter.

"I really think that ethics and societal values, animal welfare, they all have to be incorporated into wildlife management policies. We have to recognize that all these animals have intrinsic value and worth," Dahlseide said.

Don't interfere, officials say

So far, the Alberta Parks and Environment department has asked people keep their distance from the animal "to enable the bear to den on its own for the winter." A statement from a spokesperson said the government would continue to monitor the bear, and noted it is illegal to trap a bear on public or private land.

Bears instinctively seek out sheltered areas — for example a hole dug high into the side of a hill — that are away from animals, humans and fluctuating weather, University of Alberta biological science professor Colleen Cassady St. Clair told the Calgary Eyeopener. 

"That would be a pretty tough combination for a group people to achieve. I guess I can't say it's impossible. It just seems like a very tall order," she said.

A human-made den may actually attract wildlife, such as cougars, wolves or other bears that could prey on a young, injured bear, she said.

And despite impressive efforts, Cassidy St. Clair warns that the bear may die from being too thin to survive hibernation.

"It's sad to us but it is a natural fate for a huge proportion of the bears that are born," she said.

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener