IBBR welcomes blond bear
© IBBR
When cubs arrive at Idaho Black Bear Rehab (IBBR), they are often weak, wounded, and starving. They need emergency medical attention as well as months of dedicated care.
According to Sally Maughan, Director of IBBR, the physical trauma is great, but what is most troubling in her mind is the mental trauma. “You can see the fear in their eyes,” says Sally, “and the acute awareness that their whole world has just been turned upside down.”
Such was the case with Wasaka, a Washington cub whose mother had been hit by a car. Wasaka (meaning 'strong' in a Native American language), was searching for food when a couple noticed him wandering around their backyard.
He seemed to have something caught in his throat, so they blended up some fruit and vegetables and fed it to the hungry cub. Even though feeding bears is generally discouraged, this meal might have made the difference between life and death for Wasaka, who had been abandoned for over two weeks.
A journey back to the wild begins
After Wasaka was trapped by Wildlife officials, a veterinarian gave him a health inspection and ensured that there was nothing lodged in his throat. IBBR's transport team, Larry and Terri Limberg, drove over 400 miles to transfer Wasaka from Washington to Idaho.
Upon arrival at IBBR, Wasaka made a mad dash into the holding pen (most cubs take a long time to leave the carrier). According to Sally, he is a pretty outgoing cub. He has a very light colored coat and, in certain lights, looks like a true blond.
Over the coming months, Wasaka will develop skills he would have acquired in the wild, like foraging for food and protecting himself. He will most likely be released in the spring when he is large enough to cope with life in the wild.
To find out more about IBBR’s rehabilitation techniques, which are being used by WSPA member societies around the world, please visit: http://www.bearrehab.org/
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