The two bear cubs rescued by a B.C. conservation officer who defied orders from the province to kill them have now been released back into the wild.
The 15-month-old cubs named Jordan and Athena had been living at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Association in Errington, B.C. since they were rescued last July.
The pair were outfitted with GPS collars to track their movements and released Friday morning, and are said to be doing well.
Their mother was killed by a conservation officer after raiding a freezer at a Port Hardy home.
Bryce Casavant, the officer ordered to destroy them, instead tranquilized the cubs and transferred them to the wildlife centre.
While Casavant’s compassion drew international attention, he was also suspended for disobeying orders and later accepted a transfer to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.
In April, the Conservation Officer Service said it was close to completing an internal policy review related to the incident, but the findings have not been released.
Six other bears at the wildlife refuge were also released back into the wild on Tuesday.
