A black bear sow and her three cubs are getting used to their new home at the wildlife shelter in Smithers, B.C. after an encounter with conservation officers.
A dog came across a bear den in a residential neighbourhood in Prince George on Sunday, and the conservation officers were called in.
The proximity to people meant the bears had to go, and a decision was made to try to move the whole family to a wildlife shelter.
Tanja Landry, a volunteer with the Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers, says they were shocked when conservation officers asked them to take in both the cubs and the mother.
“The first couple of seconds after we got that call, it was like: yeah sure, we can take the cubs. But you want the mom to come too? What are we going to do?” says Landry.
She says they have never dealt with an adult bear at their shelter before.
The Northern Lights Wildlife Society normally cares for orphaned bear cubs until they are old enough to survive on their own.
“They were looking for an option that would mean not having to kill the mom,” says Landry.
She says the conservation officers had to trudge through hip-deep snow to tranquilize the sow and crawl into the den to rescue the triplets.
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Landry and her husband then had to drive all the way down to Prince George to pick up the entire family.
Once in Smithers, the cubs had to be separated from the mom while she was still sedated, but the family was reunited this morning.
Landry says the three cubs — two boys and one girl — nursed immediately, and they are hoping their mom will continue to care for them.
She says caring for both the mom and the cubs is a major change for them.
“Normally when something like this happens, the mom gets shot, and the cubs, if they are not lucky enough to be re-located, get put down as well,” says Landry. “So for us, it is a huge step in trying to change the perception. The conservation officers had to work really hard to get this bear out, and did an amazing job.”
Landry says they will be looking into rehabilitating more bear families in the future.
“Rehab is something that we are trying to prove is a viable management option,” she says. “If this works out well, we would love to be able to be that option.”
The Northern Lights Wildlife Society rescues injured and orphaned wildlife and is run on donations.
They are now looking to raise at least $4,000 to modify the enclosure to accommodate their newest addition.
The shelter requires a separation area, where the family of four can be fed without staff having to go into the enclosure, which is not an option with a protective, 275-pound adult bear around.
“There is no way for us to interact with her in the way we would with a younger bear, especially because she is going to be super protective of her cubs. It will bring up some extra renovations, so that when the mother bear wakes up, everybody is safe, and we have the best possible outcome.”
To donate to the Northern Lights Wildlife Society, go here.
Please note: We were notified that the dog that came across the bear den has passed away from the injuries sustained in the fight with the bear sow. The dog’s owners tell Global News Loki was a valuable member of the community and has touched many lives.
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