Orphaned bear cub escapes wildlife center near Lake Tahoe, California

California wildlife officers are asking for the general public’s assist in their seek for a timid, orphaned younger black bear who escaped its enclosure at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.

The bear, who’s between 12 and 13 months outdated, escaped its outside play enclosure on Feb. 9 at about 5:30 p.m., authorities mentioned.

Lake Tahoe authorities mentioned the 50-pound animal “is just not in imminent hazard and isn’t a risk” however could also be too younger to outlive by itself for an prolonged period of time within the present wintry situations within the space.

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care mentioned the bear has sufficient survival abilities and “loads of saved vitality to final him a superb whereas within the wild.” 

LTWC has requested folks within the space to maintain a lookout for the shy cub — who could be recognized by a metallic tag on his proper ear — however urged them to not go actively looking for the bear or to strategy it.

“The bear dislikes folks and could be extraordinarily skittish,” LTWC mentioned.

The wildlife heart mentioned they consider the bear “has discovered a hiding place and can keep hidden till he will get hungry.”

“His persona at LTWC was considered one of a hider. He spent most of his time solo inside his den space,” the middle mentioned.

The bear was severely underweight at simply over 20 kilos when he was rescued in Seiad Valley in Siskiyou County on Dec. 13, 2022. 

An examination on the California Division of Fish and Wildelife’s Wildlife Well being Lab discovered the bear to be in any other case in good situation. The cub was then moved to LTWC to be rehabilitated earlier than he was to be launched again into the wild.

Because it arrived at LTWC two months in the past the bear placed on 30 kilos, the middle mentioned.

CDFW is searching for the bear and investigating how he was in a position to escape.