Rehabilitated black bears released in remote Alberta forest

Alberta Environment says two rehabilitated black bears have been returned to the wild.

The non-profit Cochrane Ecological Institute took in one cub in May 2018 and the other in July when they both weighed under 10 kilograms.

Provincial officials say in a news release that the male, which now weighs 55 kilograms, and the 43-kilogram female have been released in a remote forest in western Alberta.

They say veterinarians, provincial wildlife biologists and fish and wildlife officers worked with the institute on the release.

Jason Nixon, minister of environment and parks, says the United Conservative government is committed to wildlife rehabilitation.

The province lifted an eight-year ban on private rehabilitation of orphaned black bear cubs in April 2018 under the former NDP government.

Both of the rehabilitated black bears have been fitted with radio collars and will be monitored by Alberta Environment and Parks to see how they reintegrate into the wild.