Black Bear cub #16-2564

Admission Date: 
December 28, 2016
Release Date: 
April 21, 2017
Location of Rescue: 
Augusta County, Virginia
Cause of Admission / Condition: 
Orphaned
Patient Status: 
Patient Archive
Released

On December 28, a hunter in Augusta County was driving near Stokesville, Virginia, and saw a small bear cub on the side of the road. The man called a VDGIF Conservation Police Officer to ask what to do; together they decided that since the bear could be easily captured, the cub should be contained and transported to the Wildlife Center.

Dr. Ernesto examined the bear cub that same afternoon; he found that the small female cub was very thin, severely dehydrated, and anemic; she also had abrasions on all of her paws. It's likely that the bear was separated from her mother several months ago, and has not had the resources (body condition) to den for the winter. The bear's admission weight was 4.4 kg.

The bear received subcutaneous fluids and an iron injection and will remain in the Center's holding room for the next two days. If she does well, she'll move to the Bear Pens for additional observation. As long as the cub is eating well and is stable, the cub will move to the transition area in the Bear Complex. The bear will not be introduced to the other cubs immediately; since she's undersized, Dr. Ernesto wants to give her plenty of time to put on weight before competing with other bears for food. The bear has a yellow identification tag in each ear.

Your special donation will help the Center to provide care to this little bear ... and to the 2,500 sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals the Center will treat this year. 

Updates

April 21, 2017

Black Bears #16-1133 [Yellow Tag], #16-1713 [Double Pink Tag], and #16-2409 [Pink/Green Tags] were picked up by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries [VDGIF] biologists on Thursday April 20 for release.

On the afternoon of Friday, April 21 the three bears (Black Bear cub #16-2564 [Double Yellow tags], Black Bear #17-0009 [Double Green Tags], and Black Bear #17-0127 [Pink/Yellow Tags]) were picked up by VDGIF biologists for release as well.

Black Bear with Double Green Tags

Rehabilitators Brie and Linda attended the release with the VDGIF biologists. Brie said that the bears were very vocal during the ride to the release site. Once released, the bears ran off quickly.

 

April 19, 2017

Black Bears #16-2564 [Double Yellow Tags] and #17-0009 [Double Green Tags] have been doing well in transition area #2 of the Center's Black Bear Complex. The bears have been steadily gaining weight, and now that it's spring and natural food is becoming more abundant, the bears are ready for release. After conferring with the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries [VDGIF], the team decided that Black Bear #17-0127 [Pink/Yellow Tags] is also ready for release and can go with the two yearling females.

At this point, the release of the three bears is tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 21.

February 20, 2017

On February 16, Double Green Tag and Double Yellow Tag were successfully lured into large live traps (with the help of some fried chicken) and were moved to transition area #2 in the Black Bear Complex. The two bears will remain in this smaller space for at least two weeks to ensure that they are getting their fair share of food.

February 14, 2017

Black Bears #16-2564 [Double Yellow Tag]  and #17-0009 [Double Green Tag] have been doing well in the Center's Bear Pen during the past few weeks. The bears are eating consistently, gaining weight, and are ready to get into a larger space. On February 13, the rehabilitation staff set two large live traps in the Bear Pens, in hopes of quickly trapping the two bears (rather than darting them) in preparation for a move to the Bear Complex. The bears have yet to fall for this trick, but when the bears are trapped, they'll be moved to the transition area of yard #2. The two bears will remain in the separated area for the next couple of weeks to ensure they are getting their fair share of food.

January 16, 2017

Black Bears #16-2564 and #17-0009 -- the two most recent bears admitted -- are both doing well in the Center's Bear Pen, where they are housed together. The staff initially had some challenges getting the new "sisters" to eat during the recent cold snap in Waynesboro; both bears were exhibiting normal winter denning behavior, and were not very active. Fortunately, the weather warmed up and both bears are eating much more consistently.

The two bears will remain in the Center's Bear Pen for at least the next week while they gain weight.

January 3, 2017

Black Bear cub #16-2564 was moved outside to the Center's Bear Pens on December 31. Dr. Ernesto decided to keep the bear in this area for about 10 days post-admission to ensure that the bear is eating consistently and putting on weight.

As long as the bear is stable and eating well, she'll be moved to the transition area of yard #2 in the Bear Complex sometime in the next week.

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