AssetID: 52900600
Headline: Orphaned Bear Cubs Reunited In San Diego For Second Chance At Life
Caption: **RAW VIDEO** Two young California black bear cubs have been reunited and are getting a second chance at life San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center after they were found near their deceased mother in the San Bernardino National Forest. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) began tracking the cubs, once they located the deceased mother. At only five months old, the bear cub brothers would have been too young to survive on their own. Black bear cubs typically need to stay with their mother, or sow, for up to 17 months. The first cub was rescued by CDFW on July 4, 2023, and the second, smaller cub, on July 7, 2023. Once reunited at the Ramona Wildlife Center it was clear the brothers were happy to be together. “They were vocalizing and immediately re-bonded with each other,” said Andy Blue, campus director of San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center. “Our goal now is to raise them with limited to no human interaction and get them ready to return to the wild.” The two cubs are currently housed in an indoor/outdoor medical facility, where Project Wildlife’s animal caregivers have set up an environment with native plants and substrate, such as California live oak, pine, clover, mulberry branches, fruit tree branches, mulch, humming bird sage, sumac, chamomile flowers and herbs. Next steps will include an anesthetized exam of each bear and, once ready, a move to a larger outdoor enclosure, allowing them to exhibit more natural behaviors. Project Wildlife’s team hopes to return the bears to the wild early next year. 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. At the Ramona Campus, SDHS specializes in caring for native apex predators and birds of prey, including hawks, owls, eagles, coyotes, bears, bobcats, and, under special pilot authorisation, mountain lions.
Keywords: black bear,wildlife,nature,natural world,feature,video,photo,california,bears
PersonInImage: