Black Bear cub #26-1074

Admitted
May 1, 2026
Rescue Location
Shenandoah County
Cause of Admission/Condition
Suspected orphan
Status
Current Patient
Patient photo

Last Updated

On May 1, the Center admitted its sixth Black Bear cub of 2026—an infant female from Shenandoah County. The young cub was found near an Airbnb; concerned for the cub’s well-being, the finder brought her indoors overnight. Biologists from the Department of Wildlife Resources were contacted the next day and retrieved the cub, transporting her to the Center for a full exam.

On admission, the cub was alert and feisty, weighing 1.78 kg. The veterinary team anesthetized her to perform a physical and found that she was thin, mildly dehydrated, and covered in numerous fleas and ticks. Bloodwork revealed that the cub was hypoglycemic (had low blood sugar) and mildly anemic, indicating she had gone an extended period without maternal care. Otherwise, the cub appeared healthy. Based on these findings, the team suspects that she was orphaned and had been on her own for some time.

After the exam, vet staff administered fluids and moved the cub to the Center’s LMI enclosure to begin acclimating to the other cubs. Initially, she was slow to take food, and her hind legs appeared bowed when walking, but she soon adjusted to bottle feeding, and her posture quickly improved. By May 4, the cub’s weight had increased to 2.33 kg, and she was allowed to join the other cubs during playtime.

For now, the rehabilitation team will continue to provide supportive care and closely monitor the cub as she fully acclimates to the 2026 Black Bear cub cohort. 

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