Two young black bears that spent nearly four months in rehabilitation at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center are now settling into a new temporary home in Sonoma County. They will hibernate and continue preparing for an eventual return to the wild, according to the San Diego Humane Society.
The brothers were rescued in Calaveras County earlier this year after being spotted wandering alone for several days with no sign of their mother, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) said. The agency took the cubs into custody and transferred them to the Ramona Wildlife Center on July 24. Veterinarians and wildlife specialists began the slow work of stabilizing, evaluating and training them for life on their own.
During their 119-day stay, the San Diego Humane Society said its Project Wildlife team housed the cubs in a sprawling, naturalistic enclosure designed to limit human interaction. That setup was considered a key step for young bears that must learn to fend for themselves. Staff conducted regular health checks and observed the cubs’ behavior as they grew, played and developed the instincts they will need once released.
On Nov. 20 the cubs were transferred again. This time, they were taken to Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue, where they will join two other orphaned bears for winter hibernation. CDFW determined the move would improve their chances of successfully reintegrating into the wild next spring. The journey north was arranged and flown by Flying Tails Animal Rescue, according to the San Diego Humane Society.
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“In wildlife rehabilitation, true success is always a team effort,” said Autumn Welch, wildlife operations manager at the Ramona Wildlife Center, in the release. She added that the organization relies on collaboration to ensure each animal has the strongest chance to thrive in the wild…