3 black bear cubs rescued on northern Vancouver Island

Sibling black bear cubs in care at NIWRC in Errington

A trio of sibling black bear cubs are in the care of the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre (NIWRC) in Errington after they were found without their mother.

 

Last week, the BC Conservation Officer Service found them alone on the South Island and are unsure what happened to their mother.

 

They were brought to NIWRC on Friday, weighing nine to 10 kilograms, and are considered to be in good health.

 

"Lucky that we got them when we did, you don't want to see them when they are really really small," says Derek Downes, animal care supervisor at NIWRC.

 

"It can be a lot harder transition for them because they're going to have to transition from being out in the wild to now in a captive setting where they're going to be raised," Downes adds.

 

This is the first batch of cubs the centre has gotten this year, and received them just days after they released four bears back into the wild.

 

"It's our cycle of life here," says Downes.

 

The three little bears are on a solid food diet, and thanks to community support and donations, they will be feasting on a ton of apples, which is supposed to be easy on the stomach for their age.

 

The siblings will be in the care of NIWRC until at least next summer. They are then expected to be released back into the wild in the area in which they were found.