AHWF launches effort to build bear enclosure
The American Heritage Wildlife Foundation is conducting a fundraiser to create enclosures for injured and abandoned black bears. (Courtesy photo)
SANDPOINT — A crowd-funding campaign is underway to create enclosures for injured orphaned black bears in northern Idaho.
The American Heritage Wildlife Foundation’s fundraiser runs through Dec. 31 and the nonprofit points out that honorariums make great gifts. The fundraiser is being hosted by www.LoveAnimals.org (search campaigns using the terms “black bear”).
American Heritage, which holds permits from the Idaho Department of Fish & Game and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service that enables the group to provide rehabilitative care for injured and abandoned non-game mammals and nearly every bird species.
The group has responded to 53 wildlife-related calls across 43 animal species in 2017, but said it is not equipped to care for orphaned or injured black bears.
“Sadly, this is the one call American Heritage Foundation is unable to respond,” AHWF said in a news release.
The LoveAnimals.org campaign has a $5,000 fundraising goal and has approximately 45 days to go before the online campaign wraps.
Abandoned or injured black bears require enclosures that are large enough to ensure that the curious bruins can develop natural foraging behaviors. The enclosures also have to be secure to keep out wildlife and must be built to specific design standards established by the state.
“What you may not know is there are only a handful of facilities in the United States and Canada that have the ability to provide care for this important and charismatic megafauna species,” AHWF said.
The group estimates 50-foot-long enclosures will cost approximately $100 per 10 feet. A snow roof will also have to be built over the enclosures, according to AHWF.
American Heritage said a 2000 survey underscores the need for providing care to injured and orphaned wildlife. There are only 43 facilities in 28 states that provided care to more than 47,000 animals.
American Heritage Wildlife Foundation is a registered nonprofit which relies on volunteer and donor support.
Information: ahwf.org
Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.