Over the past four months five orphan black bear cubs have been rescued on our Coast: a cooperative effort between the Sunshine Coast Bear Alliance, the Conservation Service, Coastal Wildlife Rescue, Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Critter Care Wildlife Society and a host of community members.
Mums and cubs typically remain together until the young are approximately 17 months of age with mum teaching the cubs all they need to know to survive. It is unclear as to the reason these cubs came to be on their own: mum may have been unable to care for her young due to a sustained injury, an illness or a fatal vehicle collision.
Three of the five cubs were severely underweight weighing only 20 to 30 pounds at a time when healthy cubs of similar age usually weigh between 50 to 70 pounds.
Two of the wee cubs in particular touched the hearts of the community resulting in separate six-week searches that saw Sunshine Coast Bear Alliance members canvassing neighbourhoods, posting information signs and tracking tiny paw prints in the winter snow.
The tiny cub from the Sakinaw Lake area was finally caught January 29 after a challenging and lengthy search in a variety of winter conditions.
Weighing only 20 pounds he had some health issues and is now being cared for, along with the other rescued cubs, at Critter Care Wildlife Society.
The Sunshine Coast Bear Alliance would like to express our utmost thanks to all those involved with rescuing these cubs.
If you ever see a cub alone, please do not approach the cub. Mums often leave their cubs in a safe location (on the ground or up a tree) when they are off foraging. If you do see a lone cub on repeated occasions, they may be an orphan.Please immediately call the RAPP Line at: 1-877-952-7277 to report the time and location of the sighting and also message Sunshine Coast Bear Alliance at: [email protected]. Thank you for caring about our bears.
