Bear Conservation & Habitat Protection Organizations
Bears Matter is proud to support, financially or otherwise, the following grassroots organizations committed to bear conservation and the protection of wildlife habitat. We hope our readers will consider also supporting these organizations whenever possible.
BC Bear Alliance
The challenge that lies before the NEW BCBA ( launched May 2021) & all animal welfare and environmental groups is not small: human populations are growing, as is the global demand for food and energy, while the frequency and severity of natural disasters increases with every passing season. It is the role the alliance to create a better world for animals. They have set an ambitious vision: a world where animal welfare matters and people can live in harmony with Mother Nature. To help them move closer to this goal they have set some priorities, for now, to coexist with bears and share the same habitats.
Northern Lights Wildlife Society (Smithers, BC) – Though all mammals and birds are accepted, the shelter in Smithers has become known as a rehab facility for bears, moose and deer. 2007/08 saw the beginning of an official grizzly bear rehab project.
Critter Care Wildlife Society (Langley, BC) – CCWS provides short and long term care to native mammal species, and through rehabilitation and public education helps prevent suffering of injured and orphaned wildlife.
North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (Vancouver Island, BC) – Over the years, NIWRA, has developed its expertise having dealt with oil spills, wildlife rehabilitation, short term rehabilitation of bear, wolf and cougar, and has developed extensive educational programs for the public.
Animals Asia – Bear Farm Rescue Organization in China and Vietnam. The Asiatic Moon Bear is the main species that is being held in small cages so that their bile can be extracted for years…it is a painful, inhumane and completely unnecessary ancient medical practise that must stop if the species is to be protected.
Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre – Help save Sun Bears. The smallest bear in the world is struggling to survive due to habitat loss and forest degradation, illegal hunting for food, medicines and to prevent crop damage; and poaching to capture small cubs for the pet trade.
Spectacled Bear Conservation (Peru) – The goal of Spectacled Bear Conservation – Peru (SBC) is to ensure the conservation of the Spectacled bear in the dry forest habitat of northern Peru through scientific research and education, while working collaboratively with private land owners and rural communities.
Wildlife SOS India Working along side the Indian Government, Wildlife SOS continues to create a positive future for bears in India. Most known for our work rescuing more than 600 Dancing Bears
Pacific Wild – Pacific Wild’s co-founder is Ian McAllister and Executive Director is Karen McAllister. Your ultimate resource for information on conservation issues and initiatives on the Pacific coast.
The Valhalla Wilderness Society – The Valhalla Wilderness Society was founded in 1975, in the small West Kootenay village of New Denver, British Columbia. It started as a group of local residents who wanted to save the forested slopes of the Valhalla Range in southeastern B.C. from logging. Bears Matter is a campaign partner for VWS. Presently 58 scientists, organizations, businesses and advocates across BC are calling for a major expansion of BC’s Parks and Protected Areas to preserve biodiversity and take meaningful action and the biodiversity crisis and the climate emergency. For more information go to Grow BC Parks and please sign and share Petition Grow BC Parks; Beautiful BC in Crisis
Further Resources & Links
North Shore Black Bear Society North Shore Volunteer society working closely with municipalities, provincial authorities, first responders, educators and residents to preserve and conserve their resident black bear population.
The Get Bear Smart Society The Society’ mandate is to protect the well-being and lives of bears by establishing a healthier coexistence between people and bears.
Artemis Wildlife Consultants Helping land managers identify and retain black bear dens. American black bears need large, old trees with cavities to survive the wet, cool conditions of winters in coastal British Columbia. Unfortunately, these large old trees are often lost during forest harvest operations, sometimes because field staff cannot easily tell which trees are dens. Using information collected over 25 years, Artemis Wildlife Consultants has developed training and tools to help forest licensees and their contractors identify and retain these critical wildlife habitat features within their operations.
Charlie Russell (August 19, 1941 – May 7, 2018) is a legend, not only in his home territory of Alberta but in all of Canada and around the world. An author of several books, including Walking with Giants: The Grizzlies of Siberia, The Spirit Bear: Encounters with the White Bear of the Western Rainforest, and Grizzly Heart: Living Without Fear Among the Brown Bears of Kamchatka, he has been the subject of numerous interviews, documentaries, and articles showcasing him and the bears he loved.
Talking with Bears, Conversations with Charlie Russell 2020 is an intimate portrait of Charlie Russell’s philosophy of nature, which evolved over the 76 years he graced this planet. Accompanied by stunning photography, the book is written in narrative form, the way Charlie spoke and shared his stories and knowledge with others. Each of the chapters describes some facet of Charlie’s philosophy and experiences through the stories of individual bears and what they taught him: the meaning of trust, respect, attention, love, and much more. Author, Dr. Gay Bradshaw, is the director of The Kerulos Centre for Non Violence
The Fur-Bearers Association is a national non-profit based in Vancouver. It was formed in 1953 and advocates on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, and promotes co-existence with wildlife.
Sea Legacy Was co-founded in 2014 by Cristina Mittermeier, a pioneer of the modern conservation photography movement, and Paul Nicklen, the renowned National Geographic polar photographer. In 2019 SeaLegacy joined forces with Blue Sphere Foundation founded by Shawn Heinrichs, an Emmy Award winning cinematographer and conservation photographer, and together they are now forging the next exciting chapter of SeaLegacy.
Cochrane Ecological Institute in Alberta is devoted to the preservation of biodiversity through the conservation, breeding of endangered indigenous species, rescue, rehabilitation & release of injured and orphaned wildlife etc. In 2000 CEI constructed a 4.5 acre enclosure designed according to European standards in a stand of old growth forest habitat at CEI. This enclosure is designed specifically for grizzly cubs, but as grizz cubs are prohibited from rescue in AB, they will use it for black bears until this outdated policy can be changed. Read more on their website about their bold, long-term commitment to all bears & other wildlife of Alberta.
Vancouver Humane Society is dedicated to exposing animal abuse and assisting individuals, businesses and governments to end animal suffering, cruelty and exploitation. VHS envisions a future in which humanity recognizes and respects the inherent rights and needs of all animals – a society in which all animal cruelty is unacceptable and animal protection is valued and acted upon by the public and its policy maker
The Grizzly Bear Foundation VANCOUVER, B.C. Sept 08, 2016 The Grizzly Bear Foundation was launched along with a board of inquiry to review the status and future of grizzly bears in British Columbia. The three person board, whose members include Chairman Michael Audain of Vancouver, Stuart McLaughlin of West Vancouver and Suzanne Veit of Victoria will seek advice and information from a broad group of BC residents and organizations regarding:• Threats to British Columbia’s grizzly bear population including habitat fragmentation and loss, hunting, food source depletion, climate change, poaching and traffic accidents • Bear-human interaction, especially on how mutual protection protocols might be developed to reflect the strong and historical relationship between humans and grizzlies in British Columbia • Ways and means of enhancing the growth of the bear-watching industry in a responsible manner, including the potential for increased employment opportunities • The future of grizzly bears’ survival in British Columbia. The Grizzly Bear Foundation is a registered charity with offices at: 900 – 1333 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6H 4C2.
Zoocheck Canada – For more than 20 years, Zoocheck has been a leading voice for the protection of wild animals. We are the only Canadian organization with a specific focus on captive wild animal issues and problems.
Exposed Wildlife Conservancy is a Canadian not-for-profit environmental organization dedicated to raising awareness of wildlife conservation issues through photography, videography, and storytelling. Our MISSION & Goals EXPOSED Wildlife Conservancy is dedicated to raising awareness of critical wildlife and conservation issues in Canada.
Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative The Coastal Stewardship Network, a program of Coastal First Nations – Great Bear Initiative, provides programming and support to Coastal Guardian Watchmen, and the stewardship offices of the nine-member alliance of First Nations along BC’s North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii.
Haida Nation of Haida Gwaii Throughout our history the CHN has negotiated and signed agreements with other Coastal First Nations, Non-Governmental Organizations and local communities and we continue to work on agreements with both the federal and provincial governments.
Alexandra Morten Wild Salmon Biologist After a 30 year battle, First Nations of the Broughton Archipelago have an agreement with government to remove the Marine Harvest and Cermaq salmon farms from their territories, some immediately, some over the next few years. This is an unprecedented retreat by this aggressive industry. Now, we need to watch over the wild salmon during this transition period. Their numbers are critically low. I am launching Extinction Watch to make the fate of the wild salmon swimming through Broughton highly public as they are infected with farm lice and industrial pathogens. ( Bears Matter note: Without BC Wild Salmon many of our mega fauna like bears and whales etc., etc., etc…will not survive!)
Warm Buddy Co., of North Vancouver, B.C. was Bears Matter’s first and only corporate sponsor from 2007 to 2016! We couldn’t have sold hundreds, perhaps thousands, of high-quality Warm Buddies (hot and cold therapy bears and other animal stuffies/products along with bear paw mitts) every winter without their help and generosity. With each WB product sold the customer received a ‘guardian certificate’ showing which organizations would receive Bears Matter/Warm Buddy funding that year. Bears Matter along with Warm Buddy Company literally donated thousands of dollars to deserving struggling bear conservation groups at home and away. WB’s remains a truly community grassroots company and their giving knows no bounds. Bears Matter will forever be indebted to this amazing bear-hearted company!
