Back to the wild!
Two black bear cubs have returned to their natural habitat after spending 10 months at the Ramona Humane Society Wildlife Center in San Diego, according to a statement 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.
Since they would not have been able to survive without their parents, CDFW rescued the first bear cub on July 4, 2023, and the second cub on July 7, 2023.
CDFW released the animals into the San Bernardino National Forest, near where they were first found, on May 15, 2024. The bears were certified healthy by the Humane Society’s veterinary team and were microchipped and fitted with GPS collars.
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Two black bears.
San Diego Humane Society
Four orphan bears rehabilitated by the San Diego Humane Society have been released back into the wild
During their time at the San Diego Humane Society, wildlife rehabilitation specialists cared for the cubs with “minimum contact” to make sure they “don’t get used to people,” the organization said.
The young bears were kept in an outdoor enclosure that mimicked their natural environment, according to the Humane Society.
Their living spaces included native plants and substrates such as California live oak, pine, clover, mulberry branches, fruit tree branches, mulch, hummingbird sage, sedge, chamomile flowers, and herbs.
They were also given food like fruits, vegetables, nuts, peanut butter and bear food every day during their stay.
“It’s a delicate skill to breed wild bears in captivity,” said Andy Blue, campus director of the Humane Society San Diego Ramona Wildlife Center. “The bears eat over 10 kilograms of food a day, so detailed planning is required to ensure they are fed without our staff ever seeing them, and that they have enough enrichment to display their natural behavior without leaving human scents behind.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education