Orphaned bear cub left alone in tree for days is ‘loving her new home’ in Louisiana
A bear cub who was orphaned and alone for days got a new home, a Louisiana zoo said.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries rescued a 7-month-old female black bear cub in northeast Louisiana after a community member spotted her alone in a tree for days, according to a Facebook post from the Audubon Zoo. The zoo in New Orleans says it adopted the orphan and gave her a new home at its facility.
The cub, which has yet to be named, weighs 40 pounds and is “loving her new home,” the Sept. 9 post says.
“We are very excited that we were in a position to offer a home for this cub,” the Audubon Zoo said in its post. “Louisiana black bears play a significant role in our state and we are thrilled to teach our visitors about the importance of this species and what they can do to protect them.”
“That’s sad to me to take their freedom,” one Facebook user commented on the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ repost of the announcement. “The bear would have gotten down when ready.”
“I’m just glad it’s safe and happy,” said another.
Neither the Audubon Zoo nor Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries immediately responded to McClatchy News’ request for comment on Sept. 15.
Cubs typically spend the first 16-17 months of their lives in the care of their mothers, according to the North American Bear Center. It’s not clear why this cub was alone or if it was abandoned.
Though someone spotted this cub on its own, the National Park Service warns that bear encounters should be taken seriously and can be unpredictable. You should never approach a bear or allow them to approach you, the park’s website says.
“Although extremely rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death. Treat bear encounters with extreme caution,” says the National Park Service’s bear encounter advice page.
This story was originally published September 15, 2022 at 1:14 PM with the headline "Orphaned bear cub left alone in tree for days is ‘loving her new home’ in Louisiana."
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