Bear Cub Orphaned By Storms Arrives at SDHS
An orphaned black bear cub was transferred from Tahoe to San Diego Humane Society for rehabilitation.
A second orphaned California black bear cub has arrived at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center for rehabilitation and care. The approximately 10 month-old female cub was rescued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) in Bakersfield, CA on Dec. 18, 2022. Biologists assessed the cub in the field and found her to be thin and abandoned. The cub was captured and brought to Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care for rehabilitation before coming to San Diego Humane Society on Jan. 26, 2023.
There have been an unusual number of orphaned bear cubs found late last year and early this year, and it’s possible the flooding of dens from the heavy rains may be causing cubs to be separated from their mothers.
This latest female cub will be housed with a male black bear cub who came to the Ramona Wildlife Center from Bishop, CA in December of 2022. As with most wild mammals, the cubs exhibit more natural behaviors when housed with others their same age. For the next three months, the two cubs are expected to stay in a pre-release enclosure outdoors, with access to trees, shrubs and natural substrate. The bears will continue to become acclimated to the weather and have opportunities to run, climb, play and forage for food.
“As soon as they are strong and healthy enough, we want to return them to the wild.” said Andy Blue, campus director of San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center “The next few months will be crucial, because we don’t want these cubs to get comfortable around humans, so our team will be very careful to ensure their stay with us mimics life in the wild.”
The cub from Bishop received a full exam under anesthesia on Jan. 11, 2023 and appeared to be in good health. The cub from Bakersfield received an exam at the Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care facility prior to being transferred to the Ramona Wildlife Center.
There are now a total of five California black bear cubs at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center. Three cubs arrived separately last July and will be released back into the wild next spring.
San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife program is the primary resource for wild animal rehabilitation and conservation education in San Diego County. Each year, SDHS gives nearly 13,000 injured, orphaned and sick wild animals a second chance. In 2020, SDHS announced a new Ramona Campus, where they specialize in caring for native apex predators and birds of prey, including hawks, owls, eagles, coyotes, bears, bobcats and, under special pilot authorization, mountain lions.
Published: February 1, 2023
