Black Bear cubs of 2014 update: Release Preparation

On the afternoon of August 1, the rehabilitation staff baited and set two large live traps in the yard of the Bear Complex. The cubs and yearling #14-0126 fell for the traps very quickly – the staff kept quite busy between dropping the trapped bears off at the Large Mammal Isolation enclosure, and running empty traps back into the yard.

Yearling #14-0184 was the last bear in the yard – and eluded trapping for a little more than an hour. Finally, two traps were set, and the bear eventually entered one. The staff quickly moved her to the Large Mammal enclosure with the other bears.

While waiting for the second yearling bear from the yards, yearling #14-0126 and the five cubs wasted no time settling into the Large Mammal Isolation enclosure. While this smaller area doesn’t have trees or other natural features for long-term bear housing, it does have two fire-hose hammocks – which will keep the bears occupied for the next two days!