Orphaned black bear cub found in ENC, biologists ask people to steer clear of bear dens
By Annette Weston
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RALEIGH, North Carolina (WLOS) — North Carolina biologists are asking homeowners that stumble upon a bear den this spring to leave it alone.
Officials with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission said Black bears are very resourceful in finding places to shelter late December through April as cold weather lingers and cubs are born, and dens may be found in rock cavities, brush piles, tree cavities, excavations under fallen trees, ground nests, under decks and in crawlspaces. As a result, people may come upon one anytime they are outdoors, whether hiking, working in the yard or doing outdoor activities.
Anyone that finds a bear den on their property is urged not to panic, but to leave the area quickly and quietly, and to avoid disturbing the den for the rest of the winter season. If the den is under a deck, shed, or crawlspace, homeowners can call the NC Wildlife Helpline at 866-318-2401 for further guidance.
In almost all cases, biologists said homeowners can safely co-exist with the bear until it leaves the den in the spring.
Wildlife Commission staff have already investigated a report of an orphaned male cub in Jones County.
“We received a call from the public about a cub found by itself and quickly investigated the situation,” stated Colleen Olfenbuttel, the black bear & furbearer biologist with the Wildlife Commission. “The den was likely disturbed, and we safely delivered the 4- to 5-week-old male cub to one of our two licensed rehabilitators specialized to care for orphaned cubs. Thanks to the correct response by the caller, we were able investigate, confirm the cub was orphaned and get the cub the care it needed within hours of the initial call, better assuring the cub’s eventual release back into the wild.”
As spring arrives, black bears will emerge from their dens and become more active and Olfenbuttel said sometimes humans will come across cubs that are alone, waiting for their mothers to return from foraging and exploring.
She said it’s best to assume these bears are not orphaned. However, anyone that suspects a cub has been orphaned should not handle or pick it up, feed it, or worse yet, remove it. The best thing to do is leave the cub alone, note the location and contact the NC Wildlife Helpline or your district wildlife biologist.
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