Little Makoon (Cree for little bear), plays with a ball in St. Malo, Man., on March 28, 2012. Manitoba Conservation is being urged to recapture two bear cubs released back into the wild last week. One of the bears, Makoon (mah-COON'), was found in a ditch in St. Malo in March and became the focus of a heated debate about what to do with him. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Rachel Walford
June 27, 2012 - 12:50 PM
WINNIPEG - Manitoba Conservation is being urged to recapture two bear cubs released back into the wild last week.
One of the bears, Makoon (mah-COON'), was found in a ditch in St. Malo in March and became the focus of a heated debate about what to do with him.
Thousands of people signed a petition asking the province not to release the bear because he was too young and would almost certainly die.
The Humane Society of Canada and the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs want conservation officers to search for Makoon and the other cub.
They also want pictures of the two bears being released back into the wild.
Manitoba Conservation flew the five-month-old Makoon to a remote location June 19.
Animal advocates had wanted him to go to a sanctuary to grow more before being released around 18 months of age.
Makoon had been living at the Assiniboine Park Zoo.
(Winnipeg Free Press)