Orphaned bear cubs turning up in unusual numbers this year

B.C. Conservation officials say bears across B.C. have had a rough year, and that has led to a larger than usual increase in orphaned bear cubs.

The Critter Care Wildlife Society in Langley has 25 orphaned bear cubs currently in its care — more than double the number it receives in an average year.

"We've definitely had years where there's been more orphaned cubs than other years, but what's more unusual this year is that the cubs are turning up across the region in such a short amount of time when we expect the bears to be in dens or going to den," Doyle told On The Coast host Stephen Quinn.

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Doyle says the increase in orphaned cubs could have been caused by a food shortage this fall that might have led bear families into urban areas where conflict with humans and separations between mothers and cubs are more likely.

Poaching and traffic accidents are other possibilities, he said.

Cubs that come to places like Critter Care tend to be very underweight — some weigh as little as 12 pounds, Doyle said.

Doyle says places like Critter Care will attempt to get the bears back up to a healthy weight and then release them in the spring.

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