Autumn Black Bear Release
December 5, 2024
#FatBearWeek may have already passed, but we think this young American Black bear would have been a formidable contender!
A WDFW officer brought this individual to PAWS Wildlife Rehabilitation Center back in July. Local homeowners had reported seeing a lonely bear cub stumbling around and prudently contacted the state agency for assistance. Black bears are born in their mother’s winter dens and are dependent on her for their first year of life, so this individual would not have survived without her support.
Upon intake, the PAWS team found that the cub was dehydrated to the point of severe ataxia. Careful treatment led to gradual improvement in mentation and motor skills. The patient’s symptoms resolved within just a few weeks and rehabilitators integrated them with the other orphaned cubs in care. The juvenile bears learned to forage and socialize together while the team was careful to maintain their natural mistrust of humans. They also built ample fat reserves thanks to the rich natural diet provided by the rehabilitation staff.
WDFW biologists coordinated with PAWS to release this cohort of juvenile bears into remote protected areas before the onset of winter. The youngsters now have the opportunity to den naturally and emerge as independent yearling bears in the spring!