Black Bear cubs #24-0999, #24-1000, and #24-1054

On the evening of April 30, two female Black Bear cubs were admitted to the Wildlife Center from Charlotte County, Virginia. Both cubs were rescued by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources staff after their mother had been hit and killed by a vehicle the day before.

Upon admission, the cubs were displaying appropriate wild behaviors – vocalizing, defensive posturing, and general resistance to handling. Under sedation, the hospital team found both cubs to be in adequate body condition and minimally dehydrated; radiographs for both cubs were within normal limits. Aside from carrying a moderate-heavy level of ticks and a low level of roundworms, the cubs were in good physical health.

Before the cub's sedation was reversed, the veterinary staff administered anti-parasitic medications and also took this opportunity to clean a small abscess that was seen on cub #24-0999’s left paw pad. 

Cub #24-999, the larger of the two, weighed in at 4.53 kg on admission. Black Bear cub #24-1000 weighed in at 4.13 kg. Both cubs recovered well from sedation and readily ate solid foods that were offered soon after. 

That same evening, the rehabilitation staff placed the cubs together in a Zinger crate in LMI. In this space, away and quarantined from the other Black Bear cubs of 2024, they are being fed solid foods twice per day. 

On May 2, DWR staff was alerted to another cub found near the body of the sow, presumed to be the third orphaned littermate. Black Bear cub #24-1054, also female, was thin and moderately dehydrated on admission, weighing in at 4.38 kg. After receiving fluids and anti-parasitic medications, she was placed in a Zinger crate and quarantined from the other cubs. 

Pending the results from additional blood and fecal tests, rehabilitation staff plan to slowly introduce the new cubs to the others in the full LMI enclosure under close observation.

For all future updates on these cubs, follow along with the Black Bear cubs of 2024!