Animal costume wearers persistently harass young bear cubs
In a remarkable effort to rehabilitate an orphaned black bear cub, wildlife caretakers at the Ramona Wildlife Center in California have begun a unique method of care, donning bear costumes to mimic maternal behaviors and prevent human imprinting.
Discovered weak, underweight, and alone at two months old in Los Padres National Forest, the cub's life was at risk until it was admitted to the Ramona care center in mid-April. Since then, the cub, whose name hasn't been disclosed, has been thriving, according to the San Diego Humane Society.
To ensure the cub's survival and eventual release back into the wild, caretakers have taken to wearing bear masks and fur coats during enrichment and feeding sessions. This unconventional method aims to provide the cub with a sense of security and familiarity without the risk of becoming too accustomed to humans.
The cub receives four daily enrichment and feeding sessions, which help stabilize its health and ensure it's gaining weight appropriately. Initially, overnight feedings were necessary to stabilize the cub's health.
The ultimate goal is to release the cub successfully back into the wild. If another bear cub is found and requires care, the hope is to pair them together to enhance their chances of survival upon release. This approach is part of a broader conservation effort to protect and rehabilitate orphaned wildlife.
The cub is expected to remain at the wildlife center for up to a year, mimicking the typical period a bear cub spends with its mother in the wild. During this time, caretakers continue to provide the necessary care and support to prepare the cub for release.
The Ramona Wildlife Center's innovative methods extend beyond bear costumes, as they also involve enrichment activities tailored to the health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise needs of the black bear cub. This community-focused effort, which includes small and medium-sized enterprises collaborating to donate fitness equipment, aims to ensure the cub's physical development is as natural as possible while in captivity. The hope is that these preventive measures will not only improve the cub's overall health but also increase its chances of successful integration into a small, wild community after release.
