Orphaned bear cub pulled from tree in viral video now 'thriving' in rescue's care [View all]

[Judi Lynn]

- video at link -

The baby bear was found "wet and shivering" in a pond after people yanked it off a tree to take selfies. (Scripps News)

A bear cub being pulled from a tree by a group of people.
By: Alex Arger
Posted at 10:04 PM, May 03, 2024

An orphaned bear cub pulled from a tree by people wanting pictures is now "thriving" under a wildlife refuge group's care, the nonprofit said Tuesday.

The baby black bear was one of two ripped from a tree outside of an Asheville, North Carolina, apartment complex on April 16. The alarming incident was captured in a now-viral video, which shows a group of people grabbing the cubs to pose for "selfies" before dropping them on the ground.

Appalachian Wildlife Refuge took one of the cubs in that day, and after some time adjusting and meeting another orphaned cub in the rescue's care, both of the cubs are "doing well."

"They are eating well and interacting with enrichment, doing all the things we hope to see with young cubs," said Savannah Trantham, the refuge's executive director. "Our team has no reason to believe that they won't be released as wild bears in the fall."

More:
https://www.scrippsnews.com/science-and-tech/animals-and-insects/orphaned-bear-cub-pulled-from-tree-in-viral-video-now-thriving-in-rescues-care