Copyright © Idaho Black Bear Rehab, Inc.



     

Fundraising Projects

Additional Property

When the Idaho Black Bear program started in 1989, we were in the country. Today, we are sandwiched between housing developments. Although our 2.40 acres have been sufficient in the past, we have only one chance left to keep us from being surrounded. The property to our West is still pasture and undeveloped. However, our neighbor is pressured constantly to sell for new housing projects. Although IBBR considered moving when the last housing development came in, Sally decided it was to our advantage to stay where we are.

There was a strong reason to stay in this location for the bears. For so many years it was believed bears couldn’t be raised by humans and successfully released. There are still a limited number of rehabilitators working with bears. However, when you have Ben Kilham raising orphaned cubs in the ideal setting of the New Hampshire woods and Sally Maughan raising cubs between housing developments in Idaho, it very definitely says something about the myth that bears can't be raised by a human and successfully released.

Purchasing this property is a chance to provide displaced wildlife with a small haven from the huge amount of habitat lost to the housing developments. It also means we won't have houses on all sides of us, and would give us the room to develop other areas of the bear program, such as education and perhaps hosting extended visits by interns, biologists, students, etc. At today's price for acreage in this area, it is a huge pipe dream to imagine we could afford to buy those six acres at a cost of $40,000 to $50,000 an acre. We have one very strong thing in our favor. Native Americans say if you have bear medicine, you have the power of introspection. With the power of introspection you can make your dreams and goals a reality. We definitely have plenty of bear medicine!

Suburbia

In the near future we need to upgrade. Although we would much rather be in the country, we are in suburbia now. Sometime in 2007, we hope to upgrade the electric wiring to all our enclosures and storage sheds. It's somewhat outdated and we worry about the risk of a short or losing power to the many freezers storing fruit and meat for the bears. Please contact Sally Maughan if you are an electrician in the Treasure Valley and would like to donate knowledge, labor, or materials to help with this project.

Sometime in the foreseeable future, we will be required to connect to the city water and sewer. It's an expense (close to $9,000) we definitely don't need. However, it's inevitable and we have to prepare for it. When we are trying so hard to save every cent to be sure we don't have to say no to any bears, it's hard to justify funds for that. Can you imagine the number of bears that money would help us save!

Please contact Sally Maughan if you are located in the Treasure Valley and are qualified to help IBBR connect to the Garden City sewer system when the time comes. Anyone qualified that can donate their time and knowledge will contribute tremendously to helping us keep the cost down to a minimum.

 

 

Truck Crane


We transport bears in heavy metal carriers that weight approximately 70 lbs each. When state wildlife agencies bring bears they use the same type of carrier. Getting the carriers off the truck to moved the bears into the enclosures is a back-breaking work. It takes a minimum of two people to maneuver the carriers off the truck bed to the cart below. When we release bears the carriers with the bears inside can weigh up to 260 lbs. It takes several people to accomplish the job. For the safety of the people and the bears involved, IBBR needs to get a heavy duty crane to help load and unload the carriers.

Cost of the truck crane is $1500 including accessories and installation expenses. See website  for more information on the four foot model.

 

 

 

Golf Cart To Move Supplies           

 

People often leave donations of fruit or dog food at our front gate.  It’s a long haul back to the bear enclosure storage sheds.  We have worn out several carts and pulled a few muscles trying to haul the food back over gravel and grass or muddy ground.  A golf cart would allow us to move the food, stop wearing out so many carts, and save our backs.     

 

 

            

 Additional Bear Transport Carriers - One New Transfer Carrier 

With so many orphaned cubs during some years, our two metal transport carriers are not enough.  These carriers are special made and cost approximately $900 to build including labor.  IBBR hopes to find a welder who has the equipment and will donate his time and knowledge to build us two more transport carriers.  We also desperately need one smaller metal transfer carrier that is made of lighter metal to move cubs from enclosure to enclosure.  We have been using the transport carriers, but they require so many people when a smaller, lighter metal carrier would be manageable by two people.  It would help us save some money to use for bear food if there is any welder in the Treasure Valley area who would donate his time to build the carriers and let IBBR pay for the materials.