March 2007: Three New Rescued Bear Cubs

The three female cubs are about the same age as the other nine cubs already residing at the center, but they are extremely underweight.  The largest of these sisters is just 2,400 grams, about half the size of the largest of the cubs that received care at the center for the past two months.

After admitting the cubs to the center, Sergey interviewed the three young men who had delivered the cubs and determined that the cubs had likely only been away from their mother for about 3-4 days while arrangements were made for the long and difficult journey to the orphan bear center. The bears could not have become so underweight in such a short time.

It is likely that their mother had a hard time feeding them prior to their rescue, either because she is a first time mother with little experience or because she is underweight herself and not making enough food.  Even if the mother had stayed with the cubs in the wild, it is not likely that all three of the cubs would have survived.  Perhaps only the largest would have had a chance.

Leading the cubs journey to the orphan bear center was the hunt inspector from the Tver region, who relayed to us the story of how the cubs were found.  In the forest near the border of Tver, Novgorod, and Skoff regions, two dogs accompanying a man on a fishing trip startled the mother bear who abandoned the den.  The Novgorod hunting inspector was notified and they watched the den but the mother did not return.  Knowing that the cubs could not survive the cold without their mother, the hunt inspector retrieved the bears and began planning for their transfer.

Before moving the cubs, their caregivers attempted to feed them with cow's milk from a bottle with some success.  However, it usually takes the bears three to five days to learn how to properly drink from a bottle.  Sergey did not want to further stress the bears by attempting to feed them the first night.  Being held by humans and using a bottle is a foreign and stressful experience for the bears.  They do not naturally latch on to the nipple, and their mouths have to be held closed on it for some time before they realize that they get more food by sucking on it than they do by biting it.  It is a challenge for caregivers to gently and firmly encourage the cubs to feed, holding them without speaking or cuddling them so that they do not imprint on humans as a source of warmth and comfort but rather imprint on their fellow cubs.

The Novgorod hunt inspector contacted the hunt inspector in the Tver region, who offered to bring the bears to Bubonisty.  The early thaw in Russia has wreaked havoc on the roads, washing away great chunks of asphalt and dotting 100 kilometer stretches with deep potholes that will take weeks to repair.  A friend joined the hunt inspector on the 780 kilometer journey to the bear center so that they could take turns driving during the 12-hour transit. An acquaintance from a nearby town, Toropets, guided them to the remote center.  After delivering the bears and a quick cup of tea, the men had to embark on their return journey so they could return to work after taking two days off to save the cubs.

In the morning, Sergey Pazhetnov and IFAW's Emergency Relief Program Manager, Ian Robinson, conducted a more formal examination of the cubs, inspecting their paws and tongues to see if they are retaining heat, as well as measuring and weighing them.  By the size of their heads and the length of their bodies, it was easy to tell they were of the same age as the other bear cubs at the center.  However, they were extremely underweight, giving them the appearance of having very large heads and tiny bodies with which to hold them up.

Svetlana Pazhetnov commented that while the condition of the cubs was not good, it was normal for cubs delivered to the center.  Most bear cubs, if delivered to the center in time, begin to put on weight much faster than they would in the wild.  On the third attempt, the new cubs began eating.  They are weighed every five days, so we will know soon if they are gaining any weight.  After seeing the bear eat and observing them for a few days, Sergey is more optimistic about their chances for survival, but their progress over the next few days is critical.

There are currently nine other bear cubs of about the same age at the centre.  Bears give birth within a very brief period in the winter.  In between feedings, each sibling set of bears is kept together in an enclosure separated from their other sets for sleeping.

When waiting their turn to be fed, they frequently stand to peak over the edges of their enclosures or crates, but they are not yet big enough to climb over.  After feedings they are placed in the open space where they mix and tussle with each other for a few minutes before returning to their enclosures.

All the bears are growing well, and just last week began developing enough strength and coordination to start walking around on wobbly legs, wrestling with each other and exploring the nooks and edges of the bear cub house. Like human babies, cubs frequently explore things in their environment by putting them in their mouths.  Shoes and pant legs are likely to be nibbled, and frequently a cub will discover that another cub has latched onto its ear and is happily sucking away.  Natasha, Peter, and Seva in particular do not like this, and after a couple of squawks of protest, wander off searching for a quiet spot away from the other bears.  The others tend to enjoy skittering and climbing about in a big group as long as allowed.

At this time of year, the bears are learning to eat from a plate rather than a bottle.  Some are making more progress than others.  As they get older, it is important that they have less and less contact with humans.  Transitioning to plate feeding is the first step in withdrawing direct human contact.  Since bear cubs are coming directly from their mother, usually they are fed from a bottle for a couple of weeks until they gain enough weight and strength to transition to plates.  However since the new bear cubs are so old, it was decided to start them directly on the plates to avoid the additional stress of transitioning from bottle to plates in the next few weeks.

The first nine bear cubs will all be moved together to the outdoor enclosure in April.  For the next two months they will get used to the outdoor environment while protected from predators.  No human contact will be allowed and food will be delivered while they are sleeping in the den house.  Depending on their size and development, the new bear cubs may move with the first nine cubs, or they may be introduced the enclosure a few weeks later.