12 orphaned black bear cubs returned to the wild in North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Twelve orphaned black bear cubs have been rehabilitated and returned to the wild, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said Thursday.

According to the NCWRC, eight of the bear cubs are from the mountains and four are from the coast. They were released in the region where they were found on state-managed lands that are a reasonable distance from human development.

Although they are first received by the commission in late January, most orphaned bear cubs arrive in April through June after female bears emerge from their dens with their cubs according to the NCWRC. They are rehabilitated at either the North Carolina Zoo or the Appalachian Wildlife Refuge.

The commission said the bear cubs are released when they are about seven to eight months old in the early fall due to natural foods being more available. They are released at heavier-than-average weights to give them fat to burn while they get used to their new environment.

The bear cubs are sometimes given tracking collars to monitor their movements and allow biologists to learn more about their tracking habits. The collars remain on the cubs until April when a timer releases them.

The public is advised not to approach bear cubs. The commission said bear cubs seen alone are usually not orphaned and are simply away from their mother for a few hours while she looks for food nearby.

“People who try to capture or handle a cub are not only risking the cub’s safety, but their own if the mother bear is nearby, as she may try to defend her cubs,” black bear biologist Jenna Malzahn said in a statement. “By trying to capture a bear cub, you may cause it to become orphaned, injured or both.”

Bear cubs orphaned in the late summer or early fall are considered old enough to be self-sufficient, according to the NCWRC.