People caught on camera pulling bear cubs from trees in North Carolina
The incident happened at a North Carolina apartment complex, where people were seen holding the bears and taking photos, according to N.C. Wildlife.
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) -- A group of people were caught on camera pulling two young bear cubs out of a tree to take pictures with them in North Carolina, according to wildlife officials.
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) shared a video of the incident, which was reported on Tuesday, April 16, at an Asheville apartment complex.
In the video, several people approach a tree where two cubs are perched on the branches. The group then begins yanking the animals from the tree. One person who posed for pictures with a cub eventually dropped it after a loud screech is heard.
"Did she just drop it? Oh my gosh, it's running, poor little thing," a bystander said in the video.
Witnesses told wildlife officials that a cub bit one of the people before the bears ran away.
NCWRC's BearWise Coordinator Ashley Hobbs said she later found a cub, who was in poor condition, in a nearby retention pond.
“The cub appeared to be lethargic and frightened. It looked to be favoring one of its front paws and was wet and shivering,” she said.
NCWRC's Game Mammals and Surveys Supervisor Colleen Olfenbuttel said in a statement that the bear's condition "is likely a result of the unnecessary and irresponsible actions of the people involved.”
The cub was taken to a licensed rehab facility, which hopes to release it back into the wild later this year. The other cub has not been found.
“Ashley and our enforcement staff searched the area for the second cub but did not locate it. Our hope is it was able to reunite with the mother because it would not survive on its own at this young age,” said NCWRC's Mountain Operations Supervisor James Tomberlin.
Wildlife officials thanked the Buncombe County Sheriff for alerting the NCWRC about the incident and the person who recorded and submitted video of it.
“We want to thank the person who videotaped and contacted the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, as otherwise, we would not have known about this incident,” said Olfenbuttel. “This good Samaritan’s actions helped us rescue at least one of the cubs and her video provided the documentation we needed to better understand what happened.”
The NCWRC said it is still investigating the incident, but commission spokesperson Anna Gurney told the Associated Press that no charges will be filed.
What should you do if you see a bear cub?
Anyone who suspects they've encountered an orphaned bear cub should contact wildlife officials and not attempt to capture it.
However, wildlife biologists said a bear cub seen alone is rarely orphaned or abandoned.
"Often the mother bear is nearby foraging for food and will return in a few hours, or earlier," they explained. "Remaining in the area or attempting to catch the cub could inadvertently separate it from its mother and possibly injure the cub."
They said people should give the mother plenty of room and time to connect with her cub.
The NCWRC shared a few tips to avoid harming yourself or the bear cub:
- Do not handle it.
- Do not attempt to catch it.
- Do not remove it.
- Do not feed it.
When it comes to food, wildlife experts said cubs require a very specialized diet where powdered formulas from the store, or other foods (pet food, fruit), can severely compromise their health.
“It’s imperative for the public to never feed a bear of any age," said Olfenbuttel. "This will cause it to become habituated to people, making it more challenging for successful rehabilitation back into the wild. Last year, an orphaned cub was kept and fed by people and despite our rehabilitator’s best efforts, the cub was too habituated to be successfully released back in the wild.”
She also explained that it's illegal to capture or keep black bear cubs in North Carolina.
“It often does not end well for people or the bear, as we saw in this incident,” said Olfenbuttel.