In Sullivan County, Tennessee three bear cubs were rescued and released after their mother had been struck and killed by a vehicle nearly three weeks ago.
A report to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources (TWR) had been received about the deceased mother bear; and after setting traps, 12 hours later the three cubs, two females and one male were captured. The cubs were said to have been in good health and were later released in a remote area of the Cumberland Mountains.
Officers with the wildlife organization stated the cubs weighed about 12 pounds each, were able to climb trees and showed how they didn’t want anything to do with humans, indicating the cubs had good natural instincts.
A 12-pound black bear cub is anywhere from 3-6 months of age. Black bear cubs are generally self-sufficient at 5 months of age, although it is not unusual for them to stay with their mothers for up to 17 months.
The TWR admits this may not have been an ideal solution, but this option still gives the cubs the best chances to survive in the wild.
Since the May 18 release of the cubs, the TWR social media page continues to receive hundreds of comments from concerned animal advocates.
Emily Buck, the tWRA Director of Public Relations responded to the comments:
Many are concerned about whether the bears can survive and have questioned the decision.
She explained stating when the orphaned cubs were captured, the agency stated they had been presented with the following options; euthanize the cubs, relocate them or just leave them alone.
Instead the cubs were released wearing ear tags to help the team identify them if they are spotted or if they are involved in a conflict and the staff is called.
The Appalachian Bear Rescue were unable to accept the cubs into their program because of an ongoing sanitation protocol training program instituted after 13 bear cubs had to be euthanized in December 2024 to avoid spreading a dangerous pneumonia infections.
The organization has recently applied for their certification and approval at which time they will be able to care for bear cubs.
Staff in the area are keeping an eye out for them and if they are spotted, we will share that information. They were released in a remote area away from other bears or humans specifically to give them a better chance at survival. However, that also makes it less likely they would be spotted.
Check out the video of the cubs being released. Note how tiny they are.
(Photos via screenshots from posted videos)
For more information about the Appalachian Bear Rescue, please click here.
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