Construction crew finds abandoned bear cubs after den is ‘destroyed.’ See furry orphans
Work on a Virginia construction site halted when workers noticed a group of small cubs left by themselves, a wildlife center said.
As a construction crew proceeded with brush clearing at the site, they accidentally disturbed a bear den Wednesday, Feb. 14, according to a Wildlife Center of Virginia news release. The disruption led to the mother bear fleeing the area, the center said.
But the bear’s cubs — three tiny, close-eyed babies — were left alone with their “destroyed” den, the center said in a Facebook post.
The workers discovered the abandoned baby bears and immediately contacted the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources to get help from a biologist, according to the center.
Despite the crew offering to leave the den intact in case the mother returns, the group noticed one of the babies had a serious leg injury that needed medical attention, the center said.
So, the cubs were brought to the wildlife center for rehabilitation.
The injured cub, which was smaller than its two siblings, had a deep cut on its left hind leg, according to the organization. As a result, the leg was swollen and may have nerve or joint damage, the center said.
The baby bear now has a bandaged leg and is being given pain medication, the center said. However, the veterinary staff is concerned the cub’s future could be “grave” if its bones don’t fully develop.
The other two, one female and one male, were “active and healthy” for the most part, according to the center. They had a few skin wounds thought to be from ringworm, but they were OK otherwise.
While at the center, rehabilitation staff has cared for all three babies in their ICU by giving them formula every six hours, the organization said.
“Our ‘bear moms’ are working ‘round the clock to provide the best care!” the center said on Facebook.
Now the center is looking to find the cubs a “wild foster mother” to look after them once they’re ready. Black bear mothers typically will take in cubs added to their litter, but the center said it fears it may run into some troubles finding one.
Because of a poor acorn crop last year, finding a potential foster mother that the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources already tracks will be a difficult task, the center said.
Limiting disruption to wild black bear mothers’ lives is essential, the department’s bear biologist Katie Martin said in the release. Warmer winters have meant mother bears are active in their dens much earlier, she said.
If the center can’t connect the babies with a new foster mom, they will stay with the organization to be cared for by the staff. Then, they’ll be sent back into the wild next spring to live on their own, according to the center.
Orange County is about 70 miles northwest of Richmond.
This story was originally published February 16, 2024 at 12:32 PM with the headline "Construction crew finds abandoned bear cubs after den is ‘destroyed.’ See furry orphans."
