Bear cub rehabilitation held up

An alliance of wildlife groups have struck out in their attempt to win permission from the B.C. government to rehabilitate two orphan grizzly bear cubs now living in Alberta.

The groups say they're willing to pay to have the cubs moved from their temporary home at the Calgary Zoo to a wildlife shelter in Smithers in northwestern B.C.

Alberta authorities have said they'll allow the move only if the B.C. government approves. But Victoria says it won't issue the required permits.

Matt Austin, of the B.C. Environment Ministry, says the two bears have been habituated to people too long, and they note the facility in Smithers has previously released only black bears not grizzlies.

But Angelika Langen, of the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter, says they have had success with more than 100 black bears, and cites her previous successes raising grizzly cubs in Germany.

One of the Alberta cubs has been in captivity since March, and was transferred from the Edmonton Valley Zoo.

The other cub was orphaned last summer in Banff, when his mother, known as Bear 66, was hit by a train leaving her three cubs wandering along the Trans Canada Highway.

When two of them were hit by cars, Parks Canada moved in and took the third cub into protective custody.

The Calgary Zoo has only agreed to hold the two bears until spring, when they'll be shipped to a new permanent home at a wildlife sanctuary at the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort.