Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Centre

Located in Fort Langley, British Columbia, Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Centre is devoted to raising and returning to the wild a range of animal species, from Canada and around the world, that are threatened with extinction.

Founded in 1986 by Gordon and Yvonne Blankstein, genuine enthusiasts of wild animals, the centre today is home to over 50 rare species that are among the world’s most endangered. The centre’s team, working with the countries of the animal’s origin, develop breeding and habitat protection programs, while also helping to maintain the genetic integrity of these rare species.

The success of a breeding program depends on the ability of Mountain View’s team to recreate the right living conditions where the animals can thrive. This involves building habitats that mimic their natural environments as closely as possible. The method helps the animals develop their natural feeding and reproductive instincts, ensuring survival in their new environment once they’re released back into the wild.

In December 2006, the centre took part in a reintroduction program that succeeded in re-releasing a family of 11 Addax antelopes in Senegal, West Africa. In Canada, the centre is concerned with the fate of the Vancouver Island marmot. A few years ago, this species faced extinction, with only 20 individuals remaining in the wild. Today, thanks to a program in which the Centre participated, the Vancouver Island marmot has been reintroduced in the wild, and the first individuals bred at the centre have begun reproducing in nature.

The Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Centre hosts numerous rare and unique species from around the world, including lemurs, fossas, kinkajous, painted hunting dogs (also called African wild dogs), leopard cats, servals, Malayan tapirs, Indian rhinoceroses, Masai giraffes, hyacinth macaws, white-faced saki monkeys, wildebeests and wood bison. Gordon Blankstein and the centre’s team do not see themselves as owners of these animals, but rather as the guardians of a unique natural treasure threatened with extinction.