Orphaned Black Bear Cub Siblings Return to the Wild After Being Rehabbed by San Diego Humane Society
The animals, who were rescued in July 2023 following their mother's death, were returned to the wild in May 2024
San Diego Humane Society
One of the black bear cubs returning to the wild.A return to the wild!
Two black bear cubs are back in their natural habitat after they spent 10 months at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center, according to a press release from the organization obtained by PEOPLE.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) began tracking the cubs, who are brothers, in July 2023 after their mother was found dead.
Given that they wouldn't be able to survive on their own without their parent, the CDFW rescued the first bear on July 4, 2023, and the second cub, on July 7, 2023.
The CDFW released the animals into the San Bernardino National Forest, near where they were first found, on May 15, 2024. The bears had been given a clean bill of health from the Humane Society’s wildlife veterinary team and were microchipped and fitted with GPS collars.
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San Diego Humane Society
The two black bear cubs.Related: Four Orphaned Bear Cubs Rehabbed by San Diego Humane Society Released Back into the Wild
During their time at the San Diego Humane Society, wildlife rehab specialists watched over the cubs with "minimal contact" in an effort to make sure that they "would not become habituated to humans," the organization said.
The young bears were kept in an outdoor enclosure that mimicked their natural environment, according to the Humane Society.
Their living quarters included native plants and substrates such as California live oak, pine, clover, mulberry branches, fruit tree branches, mulch, hummingbird sage, sumac, chamomile flowers and herbs.
They were also given food such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, peanut butter and bear chow daily during their stay.
“It’s a delicate skill to raise wild bears in captivity,” said Andy Blue, campus director of San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center. “Bears eat more than 10 pounds of food per day, so to ensure they are fed without our staff ever being seen, and that they have plenty of enrichment to exhibit their natural behaviors without leaving human scents behind, takes meticulous planning.”
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