A new black bear cub was recently rescued from the woods and is now being raised by a new artificial fuzzy foster family: humans dressed as bears at the Ramona Wildlife Center of the San Diego Humane Society.
To prevent the cub from bonding with people who might endanger his return to the wild, the staff responsible for his care are dressed up in bear costumes, including masks, leather coats and leather gloves.
Staff in bear costumes help to care for cubs.
(San Diego Humane Society)
“He arrived very fragile,” Walch, the center's wildlife operations manager, said in a statement. “After a few days without nutrition, it was initially touching and driving. But now, he is active, has a good diet and has a steady weight gain.”
The pups require four enrichment and feeding sessions a day, while he needs overnight feeding early in the center.
According to a press release from the Wildlife Center, the cub was found in the Los Padres National Forest on April 12 – alone and weak. The biologist tried to reunite with her mother by returning to the wild, but she did not come back.
A young bear cub recovers at the Lamona Wildlife Center of the Humane Society of San Diego.
(San Diego Humane Society)
Two days after California fish and wildlife were discovered, the bears were transported to the Wildlife Center.
The cub will be cared for at the Wildlife Center for up to a year, hoping to return him to the wild. According to the press release, if California has another puppies, the agency may try to pair them to prevent them from branding on people.
The bear is the fourth in the last five years to recover in California.
The center says the pups need four enrichment and feeding sessions a day.
(San Diego Humane Society)
“This is a very unusual case,” Welch said. “We don't see young people without mothers often. It's an honor to take care of him, but it's also an important commitment.”
For more information about Wildlife Center, visit sdhumane.org/programs/project-wildlife/ramona.
