The twin bears, now about 4 months old, came to the San Diego Humane Society in March
NEED TO KNOW
- A pair of bear cubs is making strides towards returning to the wild after they were orphaned months earlier
- The two cubs have been moved to an outdoor habitat at Ramona Wildlife Center, where they can explore and feed independently
- San Diego Humane Society staff have gone to great (and creative) lengths to keep the cubs eligible for release while caring for them
A pair of bear cubs is a step closer to returning to the wild.
The two cubs were orphaned when their mother, who had been involved in two public safety incidents, was humanely euthanized by California authorities. Young and in need of supportive care, the bear cubs went to the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center in March. After several weeks in the center’s care, the two cubs are ready to take the next step in their recovery by living in the outdoors, according to SDHS.
“Moving outside is a big step,” said Autumn Welch, wildlife operations manager at the organization. “The cubs are gaining confidence, exploring and learning the skills they’ll need to survive on their own.”
When the bears arrived at the San Diego Humane Society, they were roughly 2 to 3 months old. Even though the cubs were young and could not live on their own, SDHS has prioritized care to keep the baby animals from becoming dependent on humans so that the twins can be released back into the wild.
To do this, staff members limited contact, wore bear masks and furs during feeding time, and covered themselves in “natural scents” to mask their human smell. Rescue center workers even crawl on their hands and knees when they’re in the bear cubs’ habitat…