Orphaned bear cub survives winter alone ‘against all odds.’ See the rescue in NY
An orphaned baby black bear defied the odds and “survived a very cold winter alone” in upstate New York, officials said.
The yearling cub was spotted on Hunter Mountain near skiing trails “so weak he could barely walk,” Friends of the Feathered and Furry Wildlife Center said in an April 1 post on Facebook.
“We deduce he lost his mom early on but found enough nutrition to hunker down for a few months until the recent warm weather,” the center said in the post.
But the cub was severely dehydrated and malnourished, the person who rescued him said.
“When responding, I was surprised to be able to pick him up and carry him out, a rare occurrence,” they said in the post. “He weighed only 15lbs. On average, bears of his age would have 40lbs on them now.”
Photos show the rescuer holding the cub against their side with one arm.
“He was so frail he could not eat solid food,” the group said. “With supportive care and a special soft diet, including baby food, after a few days he was able to start eating solids on his own. Ten days after intake, we were happy to see he was up to 21 pounds!”
A video shows the cub licking at liquid food from a syringe.
Now that the little cub that went “against all odds” is showing signs of improvement, he’s living in an outdoor enclosure where he can start learning to climb, the group said.
He appeared full of energy as he busted out of his carrying cage with a little grunt and began exploring an enclosure, video shows.
“That space is adjacent to the 6 bears that have been wintering over with us for Spring release,” the group said. “In a few weeks as he packs on more weight, we will introduce him to the other bears.”
Several people commented on the post, saying they were so glad to see the little bear was rescued.
“Poor baby, so glad he survived and was found!” someone said. “That must have been a long winter for him all alone!”
This story was originally published April 11, 2025 at 5:58 PM with the headline "Orphaned bear cub survives winter alone ‘against all odds.’ See the rescue in NY."
