Contact Us:
info@bearcaregroup.org
The Bear Care Group
P.O. Box 4394
Troy, MI 48099
Mission Statement
The Bear Care Group creates and enhances communication, cooperation and education among international bear care professionals by organizing bear care programs, publications and resources focused on advancing and sharing information on bear behavior, husbandry, enrichment, training, veterinary care and other topics to further global bear welfare and conservation efforts.
Board of Directors
President: Else M.B. Poulsen
Else Poulsen began her career in animal behavior in the early 1980s working as a field biologist in Alberta’s oil patch. When the bottom dropped out of the energy industry she became an entry level zookeeper at the Calgary Zoo working with a wide variety of animal species, from toads to tigers. Over time she developed a keen interest in large carnivore behavior and specialized in captive bear behaviour, husbandry, and management. She was led to research captive bear aberrant behaviors, publish her findings, and advocate for change. After 18 years at the Calgary Zoo she left to work at the Detroit Zoo, and then several bear specialist facilities in Canada. As the founding consultant for Behavioral & Environmental Solutions she provides expert assistance and advice about modernizing bear husbandry methods, environmental enrichment programming, and enclosure design issues to zoos, sanctuaries, rehabilitation facilities, and animal welfare groups around the world. Poulsen has more than 40 publications to her name including peer reviewed journals, technical journals, articles for the media, and a bit part in the textbook Stereotypic Animal Behavior – Fundamentals and Applications to Welfare, 2nd Edition. Her first bear behavior book titled Smiling Bears – A Zookeeper Explores the Behavior and Emotional Life of Bears was released in May 2009. She is currently working on her second bear book. Poulsen is the president of the founding Board of Directors for the Bear Care Group.
Vice President: Gail Hedberg, RVT
Gail Hedberg, RVT has been a registered veterinary technician at the San Francisco Zoo since 1981. Her job has included but has not been limited to assisting with anesthesia, surgical nursing, radiography, clinical pathology, pharmacy inventory, and various treatments throughout the zoo. Her clinical laboratory skills in microbiology and parasitology have provided the foundation for a full spectrum “in-house” lab. She is responsible for the RVT training programs, maintains many preventive health care programs, and is well versed with the daily operations of the zoo hospital and quarantine facility. As a neonatal care specialist, Gail is a well known international consultant for hand rearing. In the summer of 2004, she was the team leader for the giant panda cub-raising program and facilities for Zoo Atlanta. She supervised, provided protocols for the giant panda neonatal care program. When people ask, “What type of animals have you raised?” Gail finds it is easier to list the animals that she hasn’t raised. A 2008 trip to China was a career highlight when she presented a PowerPoint discussion on infant mammal IgG protocols to the veterinary and senior staff of the Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda. Gail has published her work in both peer review journals and has written the chapter for the hand-rearing of polar bears and felids in the book Hand Rearing Wild and Domestic Mammals. Her most recent publication in Zoo Animal Nutrition IV, Hedberg et al 2009 set the foundation for a collaborative polar bear milk study with Norwegian Polar Institute sponsored by Polar Bears International. Her next project is developing a hand-rearing summit in late 2010. Gail is the vice president of the founding board of directors for the Bear Care Group.
Secretary/Treasurer: Judy Willard
In 2008, Judy volunteered to help Else Poulsen, Gail Hedberg and others to create The Bear Care Group. As secretary/treasurer, she has been instrumental in incorporating the BCG and securing its non-profit status. Judy is a long time Detroit Zoo supporter, and AZA, AAZK and AZAD member. Her commitment to animal stewardship, conservation, and education took on new meaning when she joined the zoo’s docent team. In addition to her regular docent duties; as a senior docent she mentors other aspiring docent students. She has been active in the zoo’s Enrichment Workshop following its successful pilot program. Judy has traveled to Kenya, China, and within the United States to volunteer at various sanctuaries, and to expand her knowledge of animals, and the challenges they and their stewards face. She attended BIERZS 2007 The Symposium and spoke on Improving Bear Care Through Employee Engagement. At Advancing Bear Care ’09 in San Francisco, Judy acted as the resident human resources expert for an evening problem solving session. As a business executive with extensive Human Resources expertise, Judy has a proven track record providing strategic HR solutions and coaching that promotes sustainable profitable growth for individuals and organizations of various industry types. In addition, Judy has held leadership positions in professional associations and the non-profit sector. Currently, she is a member of the Girls Scouts of Southeastern Michigan Human Resources Committee. Judy holds a Masters of Business Administration and a Bachelors of Arts Degree magna cum laude, from the University of Detroit.
Director: Heather Bacon
Heather graduated from Liverpool University, UK with a degree in Conservation Medicine before graduating from the University of Bristol, UK with her Veterinary degree. After working with domestic, zoo and wildlife species in the UK and Africa, Heather joined Animals Asia to directly contribute to the health and welfare of the bears rescued from bile farms. As Veterinary Director, Heather oversees veterinary and animal care staff in China and Vietnam. She is developing research projects highlighting the problems caused by bear farming and the human health implications of bear bile consumption. Heather was invited to join the Bear Care Group Board of Directors in 2009.
Director: Valerie J. Hare
Valerie Hare co-founded The Shape of Enrichment, Inc. in 1991 and has been a principal ever since. In 2000, Valerie presented an enrichment mini-course at the Brazilian Zoo Congress in Belo Horizonte. With the help of its current instructors, that mini-course has evolved into The Shape of Enrichment Workshop and is designed to assist interested animal caretakers create enrichment plans for the animals in their care. Valerie is currently the Chief Financial Officer and Workshop Coordinator for The Shape of Enrichment, Inc. Valerie has worked as a Research Animal Care Supervisor (Massachusetts General Hospital), Zoo Keeper (San Diego Wild Animal Park), Behavioral Research Technician (San Diego Zoo), and Enrichment Consultant. As an enrichment consultant she has worked with giant pandas, polar, brown, spectacled, and sun bears. Valerie holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology with a Zoology emphasis from San Diego State University and an Associates Degree as a Veterinary Technician from State University of New York. She has served on the International Conference on Environmental Enrichment Committee since 1997 and has been a director on the founding Board of Directors for the Bear Care Group since 2007.
Director: Lydia Lefebvre
Director: Jason Pratte
Jay has been an animal caregiver for almost two decades, and has been privileged enough during this time to work with all eight extant bear species. His primary focus is training, both of the animals in our care as well as the caregivers. Behavioural husbandry training of bears and carnivores has long been a specialty, focusing on complex medical behaviours. The past several years has seen Jay involved with training animal keepers and caregivers around the world in operant conditioning techniques, with one of these adventures showcased on Animal Planet's "Growing Up Panda". Jay is on the AAZK National Behavioural Management Committee and also the AAZK Grants Committee. He is currently working on his Masters degree in Zoo and Aquarium Management. Jay is a director on the founding Board of Directors for the Bear Care Group.
Advisor: JoAnne Simerson
Advisors: Lisa and Kurt Stoner
Kurt and Lisa Stoner have been friends for over 25 years and married since 1993.
Both Kurt and Lisa have extensive experience in all aspects of animal care and training in professional animal handling with a combined experience of over 58 years in caring for exotic animals and wildlife. They have worked and volunteered at zoos, exotic animal compounds, veterinary clinics, wildlife rehabilitation and education centers. Their expertise includes; cage construction, animal medical care, rehabilitation and release, animal husbandry training, education guides, and facility maintenance. In 1998, they sold their home in South Florida and most of its contents in a charity benefit moving sale. With these funds, they founded Peace River Refuge & Ranch; a non-profit wild animal sanctuary dedicated to the lifetime care of nonreleasable wild animals. The sanctuary is an extension of their passion to improve the welfare of animals in captivity and to educate others to minimize human-wildlife conflicts. Lisa and Kurt have acted as advisors to the Bear Care Group Board of Directors since its inception in 2007
Thank you to the San Francisco Chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers
