The home of the Cochrane Ecological Institute is 160 acres of isolated montane habitat in the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Calgary, Alberta. Established in 1964, it is devoted to preserving biodiversity through the conservation and breeding of endangered indigenous species for reintroduction.
Over the years, the institute has rescued, rehabilitated and released all manner of native animals from bears to reptiles. They provide field research, public education and have developed innovative release strategies and non-intrusive survey methods. Most importantly, they are experienced advocates for the threatened fauna and flora of western Canada.
In Alberta, the government wildlife management policy is to shoot grizzly bear cubs when their mother is killed by road accident or hunters. One of the justifications for that rule is there were no facilities within the province able to accommodate the rescue, rehabilitation and release of orphaned grizzly bear cubs.
WildLife Canada Society funded the construction of a state-of-the-art, two-acre compound in isolated natural habitat with all of the amenities to ensure the cubs could experience a natural growing-up process prior to their release. The Cochrane Ecological Institute was allowed to rehab and rewild two black bear cubs, however, they are a species of least concern. We are working to change the shoot-on-sight rule that still applies to grizzly bear cubs despite their listing as a species at risk.
