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Orphan bear cubs cared for by keepers dressed as mother bear

Two cute orphan bears are being made to feel welcome - by a carer dressing as mother bear. The black bear cubs are being looked after at a Californian wildlife charity with the aim of returning them to the wild. The cubs arrived at San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center in March after their mother was humanely euthanised by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) after two public safety incidents in Monrovia. Since then, San Diego Humane Society's Project Wildlife team has provided the brothers with specialised care with the goal of releasing them back to the wild when they are old enough. The brothers officially moved into an outdoor habitat on Tuesday (May 12) and, as soon as they acclimate, will be introduced to a larger habitat with continued access to the den. San Diego Humane Society said: "They were two to three months old when they arrived. To keep them wild, staff limited human contact. When interactions were necessary for feeding, caretakers would wear bear masks and animal furs rubbed in natural scents to hide their human smell. "They would crawl into the habitat to mimic how mother bear would act. Project Wildlife's team also added native plants like mulberry and pine to their habitat to mimic nature and encourage the cubs to explore." Autumn Welch, Wildlife Operations Manager at San Diego Humane Society, said: "Moving outside is a big step. The cubs are gaining confidence, exploring and learning the skills they'll need to survive on their own." (Footage by SWNS via Getty Images)
Two cute orphan bears are being made to feel welcome - by a carer dressing as mother bear. The black bear cubs are being looked after at a Californian wildlife charity with the aim of returning them to the wild. The cubs arrived at San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center in March after their mother was humanely euthanised by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) after two public safety incidents in Monrovia. Since then, San Diego Humane Society's Project Wildlife team has provided the brothers with specialised care with the goal of releasing them back to the wild when they are old enough. The brothers officially moved into an outdoor habitat on Tuesday (May 12) and, as soon as they acclimate, will be introduced to a larger habitat with continued access to the den. San Diego Humane Society said: "They were two to three months old when they arrived. To keep them wild, staff limited human contact. When interactions were necessary for feeding, caretakers would wear bear masks and animal furs rubbed in natural scents to hide their human smell. "They would crawl into the habitat to mimic how mother bear would act. Project Wildlife's team also added native plants like mulberry and pine to their habitat to mimic nature and encourage the cubs to explore." Autumn Welch, Wildlife Operations Manager at San Diego Humane Society, said: "Moving outside is a big step. The cubs are gaining confidence, exploring and learning the skills they'll need to survive on their own." (Footage by SWNS via Getty Images)
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Credit:
Editorial #:
2276212506
Collection:
SWNS Video
Date created:
May 13, 2026
Upload date:
License type:
Rights-ready
Release info:
Not released.ÌýMore information
Clip length:
00:00:39:18
Location:
California, United States
Mastered to:
MPEG-4 8-bit H.264 HD 1920x1080 30p
Source:
SWNS Video
Object name:
swmrbears_191598