On Valentine’s Day, the Wildlife Center of Virginia received its first group of orphaned bear cubs for the year. The dedicated staff is working tirelessly to ensure the cubs’ well-being while they actively seek a foster mother for them.
A construction crew inadvertently damaged the den of these cubs while clearing brush, prompting the center to take them in. Upon realizing that the mother was fleeing from the den, the workers promptly ceased their activities and contacted the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR).
A biologist arrived at the location and discovered three recently born black bear cubs. Initially, there was a thought of leaving the cubs to determine if their mother would come back for them. However, one of the cubs was injured, and construction activities were ongoing nearby. Considering these factors, the biologist decided to bring the cubs to the center for their safety.
A team of veterinarians examined the baby bears, consisting of one female and two males. The cubs were still too young to open their eyes, but two out of the three were declared to be in good health. They only had minor skin lesions, possibly caused by ringworm. The third cub, however, will require additional care and affection due to an injured leg.
The dedicated staff members are working tirelessly to ensure the well-being and growth of the cubs. They are providing round-the-clock care by bottle-feeding them with formula every six hours.
The DWR Hopes to Place the Orphaned Bears With a Foster Mother.
The DWR is currently searching for a foster mother to provide care for the cubs. Typically, black bears with their own litters are known to accept and raise orphaned cubs as if they were their own. Unfortunately, this year, there have been fewer bears giving birth due to a poor acorn harvest last autumn.
According to bear biologist Katie Martin from the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), the department has been investigating the collared bears in its tracking program. However, there are limited options available among these bears. It is not enough for a mother bear to simply have cubs in order to be a foster match. Biologists also have to take into account factors such as the location of the female bear and the den where the cubs would be fostered, the age of the female bear, the number of cubs she already has, and even the weather conditions.
Although the ideal situation would be to promptly reintroduce the orphaned bear cubs into their natural habitat, rest assured that they will receive the necessary care and remain in good health regardless of the outcome. In the event that no foster mothers are available, a dedicated rehabilitation team at the wildlife center will take charge of raising the cubs until they reach an appropriate age for release into the wild, even without a mother’s presence.
