As temperatures rise in the late spring, bear cubs and yearling bears are emerging from winter dens, reports the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Some remain with their mothers, others are independent and a few may show signs of illness. The Tahoe Interagency Bear Team urges the public to follow the guidelines below when encountering bear cubs this spring.
Cubs of the year, born around Feb. 1, are sticking close to their mothers while learning survival skills in the wild to prepare them for life on their own in about one year. For those cubs born a little over a year ago, now called yearlings, it is time for them to part ways with their mothers and siblings. Mother bears, once free of these “teenagers,” will once again find a mate and breed to continue the cycle of producing cubs every other year.
Cubs of the year are dependent on their mothers and are learning how to forage on natural foods, including grass, berries, grubs and other wild fare. During this phase, mother bears may be protective of cubs so people are instructed to give them space. Never get between a mother bear and her cubs. If a small cub is alone or up a tree for safety, the mother sow may be in the area. A person should back away and give them room to reunite.
This time of year, wildlife agencies receive many calls from people concerned they have found an orphaned cub when they are actually seeing an older yearling that is safely on its own. A good rule of thumb in knowing the difference is to look at the size of the bear. If the bear is the size of a cat (around 10 to 15 pounds), it is a new cub of the year, and chances are the cub’s mother is somewhere nearby. She may have sent her cubs up a tree while she goes to forage. Bear team members say to keep an eye on the cub. If the mother doesn’t return after a few hours, call the appropriate state wildlife agency below so a wildlife professional can assess the situation. Yearlings, on the other hand, are normally between 50 to 150 pounds and are well-equipped to make it on their own. They do not need handouts or human intervention.
Something that also seems to be reported to wildlife managers more and more each year are undersized cubs and yearlings, often orphaned and malnourished, and sometimes behaving oddly for a wild animal. These young bears tend to be alone and are small for their age and often skinny. They have no apparent fear of people, are reluctant or unable to flee, and exhibit habituated behaviors often described as “dog-like.”
“These bears could just be hungry orphans looking for food, but increasingly we are seeing signs of neurologic disease symptoms like a slight head tilt or tremors,” said CDFW veterinarian Dr. Brandon Munk.
Since 2014, CDFW and the Nevada Department of Wildlife have been investigating cases of encephalitis, or inflammation of the brain, in young bears in the Tahoe Basin and throughout their range in California and Nevada. CDFW and NDOW have partnered with researchers at UC Davis and Oregon State University to determine the causes of encephalitis in California and Nevada black bears. They have discovered both viruses and parasites associated with the condition but have not yet confirmed the primary causes of the disease.
“We think the condition is more significant as a risk for increased human-bear conflict than a risk to bear populations or to people,” said Munk.
On occasion, cubs are truly orphaned, resulting from a vehicle strike or other cause of death of the mother. People may also see small bears that may be showing signs of encephalitis. In either case, the proper state authorities, CDFW or NDOW, should be called to evaluate the situation and safely transport the cub for evaluation and/or rehabilitation. The bear team reminds members of the public to resist the temptation to offer food handouts to these bears or to collect bears for transport themselves. This preserves the bears’ chances of remaining wild and eventually being released back into the wild.
Picking up a cub too soon or while its mother is just around the corner can do a lot more harm than good, say bear team members. If the bear is a yearling, it is perfectly normal for it to be on its own. Anyone who isn’t sure is encouraged to call a wildlife professional at CDFW, California State Parks or NDOW to ask. Check out the bear team’s video on the differences between cubs and yearlings.
“Don’t teach these young bears to be comfortable around people,” say bear team members. “If they are too close, make noise and scare them away so they don’t feel comfortable and want to stay. While it’s fun to see bears and even take pictures and videos, you’re communicating to the bear that it’s OK to be close to people, which can lead to habituation.”
Bears are smart and acquire learned behaviors based on their experiences. If they have a negative, scary encounter with a human, chances are they will try to avoid people in the future. Allowing bears to become comfortable around people can lead to unwanted activity, including breaking into cars and houses or approaching people who are eating outdoors. It is illegal to feed bears both directly and indirectly by allowing them access to human food or garbage.
For more information on bear encounters, visit the BearWise web page on how to behave if you see a bear.
To report human-bear conflicts or bear health concerns, use the following contact information:
- In California, contact CDFW at 916-358-2917 or report online using the wildlife incident reporting system at apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir.
- Nonemergency wildlife interactions in California State Parks can be reported to the park system public dispatch at 916-358-1300.
- In Nevada, contact NDOW at 775-688-BEAR (2327).
- If the issue is an immediate threat, call the local sheriff’s department or 911.
Learn more about living in and visiting bear country at TahoeBears.org and Bearwise.org.
Information provided by California Department of Fish and Wildlife
