Orphaned California black bear siblings return to the wild
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Two orphaned California black bear siblings were recently released back into the wild after spending 10 months at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.
The brother bears are now back in the San Bernardino National Forest, where they were rescued in July 2023 after their mother was found dead. As explained by the Humane Society, the cubs were just 5-months-old at the time and were considered too young to survive on their own.
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While being cared for in Ramona, the bears were kept in an outdoor enclosure that the Humane Society said mimicked their natural environment. It included native plants like California live oak, pine, clover, mulberry branches, fruit tree branches, mulch, hummingbird sage, sumac, chamomile flowers and herbs.
Additionally, wildlife rehab specialists watched over the bears with minimal contact to ensure they would not become habituated to humans. Once the bears showed they could successfully forage for food and survive on their own, it was decided that they were ready for release.
“It’s a delicate skill to raise wild bears in captivity,” said Andy Blue, campus director of San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center. “Bears eat more than 10 pounds of food per day, so to ensure they are fed without our staff ever being seen and that they have plenty of enrichment to exhibit their natural behaviors without leaving human scents behind takes meticulous planning.”
The bears have been microchipped and fitted with GPS collars, said the humane society. They will be tracked to ensure a healthy return to the wild.
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