Local rescue to the rescue: Auburn facility takes in 6 orphaned black bear cubs

Six orphaned black bear cubs from 5 to 6 months old arrived at the Gold Country Wildlife Rescue in Auburn from June 26 to July 2. It's the highest number of bear cubs ever housed at the organization's "Summit University" rehab facility at one time, according to Sallysue Stein, founder and executive director of Gold Country Wildlife Rescue. The cubs, each weighing no more than 20 to 25 pounds, were rescued in different areas throughout Northern California. Twin cubs arrived from Lake Tahoe, where there was a problem mother bear that was euthanized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), according to Stein. She states another set of twins came from Redding, where yet again, a mother bear who was euthanized for breaking into chicken coups. Another bear came to the facility after its mother was run over and killed by a car in Shasta. The final cub was found in the Rollins Lake area of Placer County, Stein said. The whereabouts of the sixth cub's mother is not known. "This is the most black bear cubs we've ever had in care at once," Stein said. "It's an important milestone for us, but it's also a concerning reflection of how much human activity is impacting this species." Gold Country Wildlife Rescue is one of three rehabilitation facilities in California that is permitted by CDFW to rehabilitate black bear cubs. The process of rehabilitating black bear cubs typically lasts 10 to 11 months. Gold Country Wildlife Rescue has a specialized facility where bears will live and learn how to forage, explore and avoid people – all while remaining as wild as possible. Because of the need to keep these animals truly wild, Gold Country Wildlife Rescue makes it a point to not talk to the animals or name them. However, the arrival of six bear cubs is an exception to the rule. Each cub has been assigned a nickname, making it easier for the organization's team to identify and coordinate care. It's also easier to refer to them by their nickname rather than their six-digit identification numbers. "They're going to go into hyperphagia, which is what the bears do when they're getting ready to hibernate, and all they do is eat everything they can. Their instinct is to pack on as much weight as they can, costing the rescue $750 per bear per week," explains Stein. Stein says people can donate food from their gardens or orchards to help feed the growing bears. Stein says Gold Country Wildlife Rescue is a nonprofit, providing services for free. "We depend solely on private donations and private grants to meet our $1.6 million dollar-a-year operating budget," Stein says. "Private donations make up almost 90 percent of that budget, so every $5 or $10 or $25 donation is truly needed and appreciated." Stein said CDFW determines where each cub will be released. "Generally, they release the cubs in the area they came from but as far away from people, roads, cars as possible," Stein says. "The timing of when they are released depends on the weather. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife monitors the release locations, and when it is determined that enough snow has melted so the cubs will find the browse (grass, tree leaves, plants, etc.). CDFW takes them out and releases them. Each cub, now full-grown bear, is fitted with a breakaway collar for tracking purposes." To contribute to the ongoing care of the six orphaned cubs, visit https://ddock.co/C12QCV3NV1.