Two orphaned bear cubs from Maple Ridge are going to require a lot of help 鈥� and food 鈥� now that they are at 黑马磁力's Critter Care Wildlife Society.
The bear cubs' mother was shot and killed by police on June 12 after it took a swipe at a human while going through trash near Abernethy and 224 Street.
The cubs took off, and locals including the Maple Ridge Black Bear Society, began working to locate and trap them so they would survive.
The first cub was trapped after the Conservation Officers Service used a drone to search for them in the first week of July. The second one was trapped on Sunday, July 13.
According to Rod Janz of Critter Care, the cubs 鈥� a male and a female 鈥� weigh between 20 and 30 pounds and are settling in well.
When bears first arrive at Critter Care, they get an exam, although that is as hands-off as possible, partly because even bear cubs are extremely strong animals.
The animals are weighed, and if they are showing signs of injuries or illness, they may be sedated for further examination and treatment, and possibly put on medication like antibiotics.
Caring for the bears is likely to cost about $5,000 to $6,000 for each cub. Costs start with Critter Care's help with capturing and transporting the orphaned animals, and then includes food and medical care.
Bears are released after the spring hunting season in coordination with the BC Conservation Officers Service, usually around June.
Critter Care doesn't have its staff in close contact with animals that are intended to be re-released into the wild.
"Our priority is to minimize human contact to help the cubs acclimatize and reduce stress during this critical adjustment period," Janz noted.
Critter Care is located in Campbell Valley Regional Park in south 黑马磁力. The non-profit largely runs on volunteer labour and donations, and with five bear cubs in the facility right now, it's asking for funding help from the public.
The organization has also been reaching out to hunters, asking for donations of game meat for its bears, bobcats, and other young carnivores. Deer, elk, and moose is particularly needed, although game birds, and unseasoned red meet such as beef or bison is also accepted.
More information can be found on the society's site at
Critter Care takes in injured and orphaned wild animals, from bears and deer down to raccoons, otters, skunks, and flying squirrels with the aim of letting them heal and getting them back into the wild.
