A black bear cub found alone near La Broquerie is recovering at Manitoba’s only black bear rehabilitation centre after being rescued in poor condition.
Black Bear Rescue Manitoba says the cub, its 14th admission of the season, was found walking weakly along a road near La Broquerie before arriving at the rescue on Thursday night.
“The fate of his mother is unknown,” the rescue said in a social media update.
According to the rescue, the young bear was severely underweight and exhausted when he arrived.
“He’s in poor condition, weak and very thin with a lack of fat and muscle and with protruding bones,” the update said. “Thankfully he’s been slowly lapping up blueberry and peach puree mixed with water.”
It also reports that the cub has been examined by a veterinarian and is now resting while receiving around-the-clock care.
A familiar destination for southeast cubs
The La Broquerie cub is the latest orphaned bear from southeastern Manitoba to arrive at the facility this year.
In May, two sibling cubs rescued near Marchand were reunited at the centre after being found on separate days following the loss of their mother. The cubs had been rescued by a conservation officer based in Steinbach.
Black Bear Rescue Manitoba, operated by Judy and Roger Stearns, is the province’s only facility dedicated to rehabilitating orphaned black bear cubs before releasing them back into the wild.
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Rescue still fighting quarry approval
While they continue caring for orphaned cubs, the future of the rescue remains uncertain because of a proposed limestone quarry approved near the facility.
In a June update, the rescue said the Town of Stonewall had joined the legal fight by launching its own court action against the Rural Municipality of Rockwood over the quarry approvals.
The rescue has argued the quarry would threaten its ability to rehabilitate black bears, while opponents have also raised concerns about noise, blasting and other impacts.
The RM of Rockwood approved the project earlier this year despite significant public opposition. More than 500 letters opposing the development were submitted, and both the Town of Stonewall and the South Interlake Planning District voiced concerns before council voted 4-2 in favour of the quarry.
For now, however, the focus at the rescue remains on helping the newest arrival regain his strength, saying they are closely monitoring the La Broquerie cub and hoping for the best.