3 Orphaned Bear Cubs Being Rehabilitated At Ramona Wildlife Center

RAMONA, CA — Three orphaned California black bear cubs are being rehabilitated at San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center, the organization announced Monday.

Two cubs were rescued from Valley of Falls in the San Bernardino Mountains, and the third was rescued from Lake Arrowhead, according to San Diego Humane Society. The orphaned cubs were rescued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

"Typically, the cubs would stay with their mother for about two years," said Andy Blue, campus director of San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center.

"Cubs can be weaned at 6 to 8 months but remain with their mother to learn to hunt and forage. Without their mother to protect them, young cubs of this size can be predated by other bears, mountain lions, coyotes and other predators."

According to San Diego Humane Society, the first two cubs are about 5 months old. The siblings became orphaned after their mother, who was conditioned to seek food from people, was killed by a civilian while attempting to break into a cabin in Valley of the Falls. The first cub arrived at the Ramona Wildlife Center on July 9, and the second arrived on July 12.

The third, unrelated cub arrived on July 15. That cub's mother is believed to have been hit by a car near Lake Arrowhead, according to San Diego Humane Society.

"At the Ramona Wildlife Center, the Project Wildlife team will provide a safe environment where the cubs can practice their natural skills and get the proper nutrition they need to grow, and eventually be released back in the wild where they belong," a news release from the organization said.

The two siblings have been housed together, while the third has been housed separately, Humane Society spokesperson Nina Thompson told Patch. The organization's Project Wildlife team will attempt to put all three cubs together Monday.

After a physical exam and quarantine period, the cubs will be moved to a large outdoor enclosure at the Ramona Wildlife Center until they are old enough to be released back into the wild, according to San Diego Humane Society. The Project Wildlife team works to reduce human contact with the cubs, to reduce their risk of habitation or food conditioning, and increase their chance of survival in the wild.

"While our goal is to always rehabilitate and release into the wild, there are times when wild animals have been too imprinted by human interaction, or have an injury that would prevent them from surviving on their own in the wild," Thompson said. "We find alternative pathways for those animals, such as sanctuaries and zoos. We currently have two bear cubs we are working on placing with a zoo. We also have more than 20 sanctuary animals at the Ramona Wildlife Center, including coyotes, bobcats and a pygmy hippo."

San Diego Humane Society's Project Wildlife program is the primary resource for wild animal rehabilitation and conservation education in San Diego County.

Each year, the organization gives more than 13,000 injured, orphaned and sick wild animals a second chance. In 2020, the Humane Society opened its Ramona Campus, where they specialize in caring for native apex predators and birds of prey, including eagles, hawks, owls, bears, bobcats, coyotes, and, under special pilot authorization, mountain lions.