An orphaned bear cub is thriving two weeks after being rescued from a tree by a group of individuals seeking to take photos with her, according to an animal rescue organization.
The cub was brought to the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge on April 16, the same day when a video went viral showing a group removing two bear cubs from a tree in Asheville, North Carolina. Unfortunately, one of the cubs had disappeared by the time officials from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission arrived. The remaining cub, who is now under the care of the refuge, was found to be lethargic, limping, and with a low body temperature.
"After a period of adjustment to being in our care, she was introduced to another orphaned cub that had arrived earlier. Both cubs are thriving and progressing well under our care," stated Savannah Trantham, Executive Director of the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge. "They are eating well, engaging with enrichment activities, and displaying all the positive behaviors we hope to see in young cubs."
The Tale of the Orphaned Cub
During the spring and summer seasons, it is common for young animals to be left alone by their mothers as they search for food. This temporary separation is a natural behavior, with mothers returning to their offspring when it is time to nurse them.
On April 16, a video captured two small bear cubs perched on branches of a tree near an apartment complex in Asheville. A group of five individuals approached the cubs, and some of them reached out to grab the bears. One person successfully pulled down a cub and was filmed holding it as if it were a human child.
The footage also showed one of the cubs managing to break free momentarily, darting away from the group gathered around the tree. The cub ran towards a fence, stood on its hind legs, changed direction briefly, and attempted to climb over the fence. However, another person intervened and appeared to catch the cub.
Ashley Hobbs, a special projects biologist at the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission who responded to the scene, previously told CBS News in a statement that she arrived to find the group of people still around. Only one of the two cubs was still there and it was sitting in a retention pond on the apartment complex property. The cub was then taken to the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge Center, a rehabilitation facility in nearby Candler.
Caring for the cub
Appalachian Wildlife Refuge has rehabilitated dozens of injured or orphaned bear cubs since 2020, it siad. The cubs are cared for in natural habitats that are isolated from the rest of the busy facility.
Caring for the cubs is expensive, Trantham said. It can cost more than $3,000 to get a single cub to a healthy weight.
"If we receive a healthy orphaned cub at a young age, we easily see a $2,000-3,000 food bill with the specialized formulas, dry foods, fresh produce, and whole prey items they get in their varied diets," Trantham said. "In total, we spend about $20,000-$30,000 per season on the cubs we raise from food, and medical expenses, to habitat maintenance and enrichment."
The Appalachian Wildlife Refuge has made the decision to close its facility to the public in order to minimize human interaction with the animals in their care. A dedicated team is currently working with the cubs, ensuring that they are able to maintain their wild instincts while undergoing rehabilitation. The refuge team is optimistic that the cubs will be ready for release back into the wild as fully functioning bears by the time fall arrives.
"While our ultimate goal is for all wild animals to remain in their natural habitat and be nurtured by their mothers, we understand that there are cases where intervention is necessary. Our team is committed to providing a safe haven for these animals in need," stated Trantham.
