An orphaned bear cub is thriving after she was forcibly taken from a tree by a group of individuals at an apartment complex who wanted to take selfies with her, according to a wildlife refuge.
The bear cub was transported to the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge on April 16, the same day a video of her being pulled from a tree by a group of people went viral.
By the time officials arrived at the scene, one of the two cubs was already gone. The other cub, who was taken to the animal rescue, was allegedly limping and lethargic.
A few days after being taken to the refuge, she was introduced to another bear cub who was staying at the rescue. According to Savannah Trantham, the executive director of the refuge, the two animals are now thriving; they are interacting with each other and eating well.
The Orphaned Bear Cubs
It’s not uncommon for bear cubs to be apart from their mothers during this time as many will leave to look for food while their cubs wait for her in a safe area. Once the mother has found food, she would return to the area to feed her cubs.
In the viral video that was posted on April 16, two small bear cubs could be seen perched on a tree next to an apartment complex in Asheville, North Carolina. Not long afterward, they are approached by a group of people, several of which try to grab ahold of the cubs through the leaves.
Eventually, one person is successfully in pulling down one of the cubs and can be seen holding the animal like a human baby.
One of the bear cubs was able to free itself temporarily and immediately darted away from the area, where the people stood. Seconds later, the cub could be seen standing up on its hind legs, trying to jump over a fence. Not long afterward, however, another person approached the animal from behind and tried to grab it.
According to Ashley Hobbs, a biologist who works for the Wildlife Resources Commission, the group of people were still in the area when she arrived at the scene. However, only one of the two bear cubs was still present.
The cub, which was sitting in a nearby pond, was subsequently taken to the rehabilitation facility.
Hobbs also cautioned the group of people involved about the importance of leaving wildlife alone, especially baby animals.
While no charges were filed, a commission spokesperson emphasized that it’s illegal to capture and keep black bears in North Carolina.
Caring For the Bear Cub At the Facility
Since 2020, the wildlife refuge has treated and rehabilitated dozens of orphaned or injured bear cubs, who they isolate form the rest of the animals in the rescue center.
Currently, there’s a small team caring for the bear cubs at the refuge facility. Their goal is to keep the animals ‘as wild as possible’ so that they will be able to re-released them into the wild in the fall.
