Orphan bear cubs cared for by keepers dressed as mother bear

By Dean Murray

Two cute orphaned bear cubs are being made to feel welcome - by a caregiver dressing as mother bear.

The black bear cubs are being looked after at a Californian wildlife charity with the aim of returning them to the wild.

The cubs arrived at San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center in March after their mother was humanely euthanized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) after two public safety incidents in Monrovia.

Since then, San Diego Humane Society's Project Wildlife team has provided the brothers with specialized care with the goal of releasing them back to the wild when they are old enough.

The brothers officially moved into an outdoor habitat on Tuesday (May 12) and, as soon as they acclimate, will be introduced to a larger habitat with continued access to the den.

San Diego Humane Society said: "They were two to three months old when they arrived. To keep them wild, staff limited human contact. When interactions were necessary for feeding, caretakers would wear bear masks and animal furs rubbed in natural scents to hide their human smell.

"They would crawl into the habitat to mimic how mother bear would act. Project Wildlife's team also added native plants like mulberry and pine to their habitat to mimic nature and encourage the cubs to explore."

Autumn Welch, wildlife operations manager at San Diego Humane Society, said: "Moving outside is a big step. The cubs are gaining confidence, exploring and learning the skills they'll need to survive on their own."