Orphaned Baby Bear Cub 'Tahoe' Makes Progress In Recovery
LAKE TAHOE (CBS SF) -- Nearly a month after she was found orphaned, "Tahoe" the baby bear cub is thriving at her new home, according to her caretakers.
The 13-week-old bear cub was left orphaned in Humboldt County, until a man found her and took her to safety.
Ann Bryant of Lake Tahoe's BEAR League said earlier this week that the man found the cub crying and hugging her deceased mother near Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The man said he couldn't bring himself to leave the cub alone and brought the cub to Bryant's home several hours away.
Her caretakers at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care said Tahoe now is eating four times a day and wears herself out exploring her new world.
The caretakers are also extra cautious about the bear cub's activities. Most importantly, making sure that Tahoe avoids contact with humans.
"We don't want her to spend the rest of her life in a zoo, or in a permanent care facility or something like that," said Tom Millham of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. "There are times that those are needed, this is not one of those. She's a wild bear and we want to keep her as wild as possible."
Within a couple of weeks, Tahoe is expected to move into an outdoor enclosure. The cub is expected to stay at the facility and grow for about a year, before she is released back into the wild.