Orphaned Bear Cubs Move to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue

RAMONA, CA — Two orphaned black bear cubs who arrived at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center in July are now settling in at Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue with two other orphaned bear cubs.

The cubs were originally rescued in Calaveras County by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) after being spotted wandering alone for several days without their mother, whose fate remains unknown. The siblings — both male and approximately 5-6 months old upon arrival — were brought to SDHS’ Ramona Wildlife Center on July 24, 2025, for care and rehabilitation.

For 119 days, under the supervision of SDHS’ Project Wildlife team, the cubs received comprehensive medical evaluations and ongoing behavioral monitoring to prepare them for life back in the wild. During their stay, they were housed in a large, naturalistic outdoor enclosure designed to minimize human contact while helping them develop the survival skills they will need for their native habitat.

To continue to improve their chances of succeeding on their own in the wild in the Spring, CDFW made the decision to move the cubs to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue to hibernate with their cub patients. The cubs departed the Ramona Wildlife Center on Nov. 20, 2025, and were flown to Sonoma by Flying Tails Animal Rescue.

“In wildlife rehabilitation, true success is always a team effort,” said Autumn Welch, Wildlife Operations Manager at SDHS’ Ramona Wildlife Center. “Our mission is to give every animal the strongest chance to thrive in the wild, and we’re grateful to CDFW, Flying Tails and Sonoma for being such valued partners in that work.”

“Monitoring the behavior and survival of these cubs will help inform future black bear conservation and management in California,” said Arjun Dheer, CDFW’s Statewide Black Bear Coordinator. “Black bears are remarkably adaptable animals, which has contributed to their presence across many of the state’s diverse habitats. California has a stable population of about 60,000 black bears, the most in the contiguous United States.”

SDHS relies entirely on donations for its rehabilitation work of more than 13,000 wild animals each year.

To support this vital work or learn more, visit: sdhumane.org/wildlife.