PHOTOS: Abandoned baby bear cub thriving after month of care at Ramona Wildlife Center
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A baby bear that was found alone in the woods in California's central coast this past spring is now thriving after a month of care at San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center.
The group says the black bear cub was found on April 12, 2025, by campers in Los Padres National Forest, and was transported to the Ramona Wildlife Center on April 14 after California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) biologists could not find its mother.
The San Diego Humane Society's Project Wildlife team is caring for the 2-month-old bear cub, which they say is the youngest black bear cub the organization has ever taken in.
A month after arriving weak and underweight, the wildlife care team says he is now stable, playful and thriving thanks to 24/7 care.
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'He was extremely fragile when he arrived,' said Autumn Welch, Wildlife Operations Manager at San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center. 'After going several days without nutrition, it was touch-and-go at first. But now, he's active, eating well and gaining weight steadily.'
The Humane Society says they expect the cub to need to be cared for until he is about a year old because of his age and condition. Then they hope to return him to the wild.
If another cub enters care in California, CDFW might pair them to keep the orphaned cubs wild and reduce their risk of imprinting on humans.
According to CDFW, this is only the fourth bear cub this young in the past five years who has come into rehab care in California.
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The Humane Society says the bear cub currently receives four enrichment and feeding sessions per day that are made to mimic maternal behaviors and help prepare the cub for life in the wild, with overnight feedings required in his early days to help stabilize him.
'This is a very unusual case,' said Welch. 'We don't often see bears this young without theirmother. It's an honor to care for him, but it's also a significant commitment. We rely entirely on donations to make this kind of specialized care possible.'
The San Diego Humane Society says it relies on community contributions to care for wild animals in need, as they don't receive state funding. To donate, volunteer or learn more, visit sdhumane.org/wildlife.
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The Ramona Wildlife Center is the only facility in San Diego County permitted to rehabilitate native apex predators like black bears, mountain lions and bobcats.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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