When the call came in on Saturday morning from Invermere, Smithers-based wildlife rescue and rehabilitation volunteers knew that their Thanksgiving plans just got derailed.

Little did they know that this rescue would turn out so much more than saving two orphaned grizzly cubs.

On Friday, Oct.10, B.C. Conservation Officer Greg Kruger from Invermere attended a call at Canal Flats about two orphaned cubs. He indeed found a sow grizzly that died from a vehicle collision and with her two cubs from this year too young to survive on their own. He tranquilized the cubs and called Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter (NLWS) for pickup and a safe place for the cubs to mature further.

At NLWS, Angelika and Peter Langen prepared for immediate travel and volunteers were called back from their much-deserved holiday break to care for the 17 black bear cubs that are already living at the shelter.

The Langens left Smithers at 9 p.m. on Saturday to tackle the long drive to Invermere. Taking shifts they drove through the night and morning found them in Kamloops for breakfast. Here they received a message from CO Kruger offering to start driving their way to ease on their travel time. Grateful for the break the Langens met with Kruger just outside of Golden for the cub transfer.

The two cubs, a male and female, where sedated, ear marked for identification and dewormed and then moved to the Langen’s bear transport trailer.

Deeply grateful, the pair said goodbye to Kruger and his son Brendon and started the journey home. A short stop in Revelstoke yielded several bags of apples and carrots for the cubs and a fast food meal for the Langens before continuing on.

About 30 km outside of Revelstoke the Langens had to pull over as the truck was starting to overheat. Still not too concerned, Angelika placed a call to BCAA for towing and that’s when things started to go astray from their usual rescues.

After taking all details Angelika was asked what was in the trailer and with a chuckle she explained the unusual load. She was shocked when she was told that BCAA would not be able to transport two grizzly cubs for liability reasons.

Pleading with BCAA she was promised a call back. Sitting on the roadside with two frightened cubs that freaked out every time a big transport truck raced by the Langens started to despair as an hour and more passed without action. Grateful that the truck had at least stopped in a stretch of road that has cell service (not that common in the mountains) they conferred with home about what else to do.

Finally, not knowing what else could be done Angelika posted on the Shelter’s Facebook page what was happening and this is when the local rescue went global.

People from all over the world posted suggestions and offers of help.

“I think BCAA received calls from as far away as California with pleas to assist us,” laughed Angelika. Within 30 minutes of their post the Langens were told that a truck would pick them up within the next hour including the two bears. But they were also told that in Revelstoke no mechanic would be available until Tuesday to fix their truck.

So where does one go with two little grizzlies in tow? Back to FB; Angelika updated their status and their supporters tackled the next step.

“I think a lot of mechanics received a very unusual call for help this Thanksgiving,” stated Peter Langen.

Wendy Chambers from Golden found a listing on line with a private contact number for Tom Patry from Grizzly Automotive in Revelstoke. Not only did Tom answer the call but he also promised to meet the truck at his shop that night.

At this point with darkness falling and absolute exhaustion setting in for the Langens, it was clear that they would have to spend the night in Revelstoke. The couple could go to a hotel, but where could they leave the cubs?

Amongst many offers, Sari Lundberg from Revelstoke offered her parents’ lockable garage, which the Langens gratefully accepted. Once back in Revelstoke, Tom took a quick look and determined that the water pump on the truck was leaking and need to be replaced. He offered to do so early the next morning despite it being a holiday.

Sari’s dad Robert picked up the Langens and the cubs were safely stored in his garage and fed and watered before the Langens took a well-deserved rest at a local hotel.

Today the Langens are waiting for their truck to be repaired to continue their journey home.

Pictures: Cubs with dead mom, transfer, truck on side of road, towing pictures, pictures of cubs in transport trailer.

Photos courtesy Angelika Langen and Greg Kruger (CO) Invermere

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