Black Bear yearling #19-0166

On March 15, the Center admitted a female Black Bear yearling from Albemarle County. The bear had been spotted in a tree in a homeowner’s yard for several days; the homeowners thought the bear was lethargic, so they set a hunting dog box out one evening and were able to catch the bear. The Center and DGIF discussed the situation and decided that the bear should be examined by Center veterinarians.

Dr. Peach, the Center’s veterinary fellow, examined the bear when she arrived, and found the yearling to be quiet, alert, and responsive. The bear was slightly thin, but not alarmingly so; Dr. Peach estimated a body condition score of 2/5. The bear weighed 6.3 kg. The yearling was mildly dehydrated, had a few abrasions on her front paws, mildly worn canines, but otherwise didn’t have significant injuries. A skin scraping revealed dead Ursacoptes mites, which cause “bear mange”.

Dr. Peach gave the yearling fluids, an anti-parasitic injection for any remaining mites, and tagged the bear with a pink ear tag in each ear. The bear was moved to the Center’s Large Mammal Isolation enclosure to recover. While the yearling is small and slightly thin, she’s generally clinically healthy and shouldn’t need to stay at the Center for a lengthy period of time.

In the days following, the rehabilitation team reported that the bear has been selectively eating her daily bear meal, choosing to eat protein, veggies, and fruits. The bear is very wary of people and generally likes to stay far from the staff. The rehabilitators will continue to observe the bear to determine if she can be released next month with the other yearlings that are ready for release.

Your donation will help provide care for this yearling Black Bear, as well as the thousands of patients that the Wildlife Center will admit in 2019. Thank you!