Orphaned black bear cubs

Even bears and cubs living in the wild can be impacted by human activity.

People are urged to secure attractants, such as garbage, pet food and birdseed, so wildlife cannot access non-natural foods, which can create a public safety risk.

The best way to keep people and bears safe is to secure your attractants. For information on attractant management, visit WildSafeBC.com.

Please do not approach a bear cub or any wildlife, for your own safety. In some cases, the cub is not actually orphaned after all. It is not unusual for sows to leave their cubs for several hours at a time while foraging for food. In this case, the sow will return to collect the cub, often when the fewest people are around.

If you suspect a bear cub is orphaned, you can report it to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline at 1-877-952-7277 . Please do not call a wildlife rearing facility directly. Calling the RAPP line is the best way for authorities to determine next steps. They will engage the rearing facility if that is the best course of action.

Your RAPP call will first be reviewed and assessed by a Conservation Officer. If there is a public safety issue, Conservation Officers will respond. For example, this could include a cub that is impeding traffic on a highway.

If the cub is not a risk to public safety, the caller will be advised their report is being referred to provincial wildlife biologists to determine if any action is appropriate.

Depending upon the circumstances, this may include monitoring or deciding the cub is a candidate for rehabilitation. This determination is made by wildlife biologists and the provincial wildlife veterinarian, in accordance with orphaned black bear cub guidelines, and informed by any information received by the Conservation Officer Service.

A period of 48 hours will be given to allow cubs to reunite with the sow. During this time, members of the public should leave the area, remove attractants, and refrain from disturbing the cub (e.g. allow it to come down from a tree).

No, whether attending a report is warranted depends on the circumstances of the specific incident. Every incident is different and while government agencies and rearing facilities work closely together, this does not mean one of these agencies will be in a position to take action.

If there is a public safety issue, such as a cub impeding traffic on a highway, Conservation Officers will respond. In most situations, orphaned black bear cubs are not considered an imminent risk to public safety. In these cases, the report is referred to wildlife biologists to determine if any action is appropriate. Conservation Officers may provide support and assistance if requested.

If a cub appears healthy, shows no signs of distress, and is not causing a conflict or public safety issue, authorities may take a wait-and-see approach.

Monitoring allows time for a sow and cub to potentially reunite or determine that a cub is old enough and able to survive on its own. Providing cubs an opportunity to stay wild is the preferred outcome. Simply because a bear cub may be on its own does not mean it needs human intervention.

Response guidelines for incidents involving orphaned black bear cubs reflect the latest wildlife management science, suitability criteria for rehabilitation and rearing best practices, and prioritizes public safety. Guidelines allow for several options when determining the appropriate course of action, including:

• Leaving bear cubs in the wild: This is the preferred option if appropriate. In some cases, the cub is not actually orphaned after all. It is not unusual for sows to leave their cubs for several hours at a time while foraging for food. Monitoring the situation allows the cub and sow a chance to reunite.
  The best outcome for any cub to stay wild is to not intervene if it is not necessary. Current science indicates black bear cubs at approximately 8 months of age, i.e. as of September, can and regularly survive on their own. This is the best outcome for cubs that appear healthy, show no signs of distress, and have no conflict history. Weight may be the best indicator of survival, so cubs will be assessed for size and body condition to determine next steps.
• Rearing the cub at a rearing facility for release back into the wild: Orphaned black bear cubs that are candidates for rehabilitation are safely captured and transported to an authorized rearing facility, for eventual release back into the wild. This determination is made by provincial wildlife biologists, in consultation with the provincial wildlife veterinarian and orphaned black bear cub guidelines and takes several criteria into consideration.
• Dispatching or euthanizing the cub:  A cub that is conditioned to non-natural food sources, or shows a minimal fear of people, is not a candidate for rehabilitation. Due to these factors and for public safety concerns, cubs in these circumstances are dispatched by Conservation Officers. This situation is not common; most commonly the cub will go to a rearing facility for further inspection if its health appears compromised.

Bear cubs in poor body condition, exhibiting abnormal behaviour or with obvious injuries preventing a reasonable chance of recovery and post-release survival are also not candidates for rehabilitation. Euthanasia is the humane option when the chances of survival are low and leaving the cub would exacerbate its suffering. Sometimes, a cub will need to be captured and examined to determine whether its health is compromised.

There are several factors taken into consideration when determining if an orphaned black bear cub is a candidate for rehabilitation, including age, health and history. Not every orphaned cub needs to be taken to a rearing facility. Science tells us cubs approximately 8 months of age and in good health can and do successfully survive on their own. Keeping wildlife wild is always the preferred outcome for cubs.

Decisions on the suitability for orphaned black bear cubs to enter rearing programs are made by wildlife biologists, in consultation with the provincial wildlife veterinarian and guidelines on orphaned black bear cubs.

No, not all orphaned black bear cubs need to be taken to rearing facilities. Leaving wildlife alone is the preferred option if appropriate.

Black bear cubs in BC are typically born in January or February. Science indicates that at approximately 8 months of age, cubs can and do successfully forage for natural foods and den without the sow. Not every cub requires human intervention, and interfering can cause more harm than good.

Yearlings (bears that are one year old) are not cubs and do not meet the age requirements for rehabilitation. Yearlings can and do survive on their own, without human help.

Black bear cubs that are determined to be candidates for rehabilitation may be captured by staff from the rearing facility it will be going to. Only authorized staff trained in the safe capture and transport of black bear cubs at permitted rearing centres can do this type of work. Once a cub is at a rearing facility, it undergoes a detailed health assessment by a veterinarian to confirm if rehabilitation is appropriate.

Conservation Officers may lead capture efforts, with provincial wildlife biologists providing support to both officers and rearing facilities.

Government and non-Government organizations work together to respond to orphaned bear cubs.

Conservation Officers regularly collaborate with wildlife biologists and the provincial wildlife veterinarian in specific incidents involving orphaned black bear cubs.

Conservation Officers review and assess RAPP calls received about orphaned bear cubs. As the lead agency in BC to prevent and respond to human-wildlife conflicts that pose a risk to public safety, Conservation Officers will respond if there is a public safety issue. For example, this could include a cub that is impeding traffic on a highway.

In most situations, orphaned black bear cubs are not considered an imminent risk to public safety. In these cases, the report is referred to wildlife biologists to determine if any action is appropriate. Conservation Officers may provide support and assistance if requested.

Wildlife biologists work in consultation with the provincial wildlife veterinarian and guidelines on incidents involving orphaned black bear cubs, as well as any information garnered from the Conservation Officer Service from initial reports, to determine if a cub is suitable for rehabilitation. If determined to be a candidate, wildlife biologists liaise with authorized rearing facilities.

Not all orphaned black bear cubs require human intervention. Leaving cubs in the wild is the preferred option if appropriate.

In BC, there are three wildlife rearing facilities that are permitted by the Province to raise and release orphaned black bear cubs. The independent facilities are:

• The North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre on Vancouver Island;
• Critter Care Wildlife Society in Langley, and
• The Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers (the only one permitted to rehabilitate and release orphaned grizzly bear cubs).

Wildlife biologists, and sometimes Conservation Officers, will notify rearing facilities about orphaned black bear cubs that may be candidates for rehabilitation.

Authorized rearing facility staff trained to safely capture and transport orphaned black bear cubs will work closely with wildlife biologists and the Conservation Officer Service to determine the best plan to safely do so.

Once a cub is at a rearing facility, it undergoes a detailed health assessment by a veterinarian to confirm if rehabilitation is appropriate.