ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is urging people to leave bear cubs alone after a group of people were seen pulling two young bear cubs out of a tree at an apartment complex.
On Tuesday, the Bumcombe County Sheriff’s Department alerted N.C. Wildlife about the incident at an Asheville apartment complex, where people were seen holding the bears and taking photos.
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N.C. Wildlife staff responded and said they were told both bears had escaped after a cub bit one of the people.
They said a cub was later found in a retention pond and taken to a licensed cub rehabilitation facility. The other has not been located.
N.C. Wildlife’s BearWise© Coordinator Ashley Hobbs said she found the cub in the pond in poor condition.
“The cub appeared to be lethargic and frightened. It looked to be favoring one of its front paws and was wet and shivering,” she said.
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“The cub’s condition is likely a result of the unnecessary and irresponsible actions of the people involved,” said Game Mammals and Surveys Supervisor Colleen Olfenbuttel.
The cub is now in the care of a licensed and experienced cub rehabilitator who is working to release it back into the wild later this year.
“Ashley and our enforcement staff searched the area for the second cub but did not locate it. Our hope is it was able to reunite with the mother because it would not survive on its own at this young age,” said Mountain Operations Supervisor James Tomberlin.
“We want to thank the person who videotaped and contacted the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, as otherwise, we would not have known about this incident,” said Olfenbuttel. “This good Samaritan’s actions helped us rescue at least one of the cubs and her video provided the documentation we needed to better understand what happened.”
N.C. Wildlife said this incident remains an active investigation.
What should you do if you see a bear cub?
Anyone who suspects they’ve encountered an orphaned bear cub is urged to contact N.C. Wildlife and do not attempt to capture it.
However, wildlife biologists said a bear cub seen alone is rarely orphaned or been abandoned.
“Often the mother bear is nearby foraging for food and will return in a few hours, or earlier,” they explained. “Remaining in the area or attempting to catch the cub could inadvertently separate it from its mother and possibly injure the cub.”
They said people should give the mother plenty of room and time to connect with her cub.
N.C. Wildlife shared the following tips to avoid harming yourself or the bear cub:
Do not handle it.
Do not attempt to catch it.
Do not remove it.
Do not feed it.
Do take note of your location and call the NC Wildlife Helpline (866-318-2401). If after hours or on weekends, call a district wildlife biologist to report it.
When it comes to food, wildlife experts said cubs require a very specialized diet where powdered formulas from the store, or other foods (pet food, fruit), can severely compromise their health.
“It’s imperative for the public to never feed a bear of any age,” said Olfenbuttel. “This will cause it to become habituated to people, making it more challenging for successful rehabilitation back into the wild. Last year, an orphaned cub was kept and fed by people and despite our rehabilitator’s best efforts, the cub was too habituated to be successfully released back in the wild.”
“The rehabilitators know the treatments and specialized food needed for cubs during this vulnerable time,” she continued. “Do not trust resources on the internet about feeding and caring for a cub. Instead, call our N.C. Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401 immediately. It is illegal in North Carolina to capture or keep a black bear cub.”
Click here for a list of BearWise® Basics, which also urges people to not approach or try to take selfies with black bears.
“It often does not end well for people or the bear, as we saw in this incident,” said Olfenbuttel.
Click here to learn more about the black bear cub rehabilitation program.
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