COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZoo) welcomed two orphaned bear cubs earlier this month.
CMZoo officials said they gave a “bittersweet” welcome to two orphaned six-month-old bear cubs who arrived at the zoo on June 7 after a 10-hour drive from Montana.
CMZoo officials said these are the youngest grizzly cubs the zoo has cared for in decades and the first orphaned grizzlies to arrive in more than 20 years.
The cubs weighed around 30 pounds each, with light brown fur, their “cub-signature” white fur rings around their necks and what officials are calling the “fluffiest ears on record.”
One of the orphaned bear cubs that arrived at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.(Cheyenne Mountain Zoo)
The cubs have been acclimating to life in human care behind the scenes, officials said, with their care team monitoring their behaviors and health.
Since arriving, officials said the cubs are growing quickly, eating, drinking, playing and settling in well!
“For us, it’s bittersweet, because although we have high hopes that we can give these young cubs a great life here, we ultimately want wildlife to be wild,” Rebecca Zwicker, animal care manager in Rocky Mountain Wild, said. “The folks who work at these wildlife agencies are heroes in my opinion. They want the same thing – for wildlife to live safely in the wild.”
Officials said their 21-year-old grizzlies Emmett and Digger had to be removed from the wild as well after many “strikes” and human-wildlife conflicts. They came to the CMZoo as yearlings.
Since then, the grizzlies have helped CMZoo members and guests learn how to be bear-aware in wild places, according to officials. The two cubs will also have the same job.
“We work closely with wildlife agencies to provide homes for animals, like Emmett and Digger. Atka, our orphaned moose; Adira and Koda, our orphaned mountain lions; and Ouray, our bald eagle who was injured in the wild and could no longer fly, also came to us for a second chance,” Zwicker said.
Officials said the cubs will not share a space with Emmett and Digger, but they will meet them through fences when they show their team the time is just right. The cubs’ care team is currently working to establish trusting relationships with the youngsters.
One of the orphaned bear cubs that arrived at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.(Cheyenne Mountain Zoo)
“Unlike wild bears, these two need to be comfortable around us. They’re learning to take food from us, which is an important foundational relationship builder,” Zwinker said.
Zwinker adds that once they know when teams show up, they can work on cooperative behaviors that will allow them to take care of the cubs from the other side of a fence.
CMZoo officials said while the cubs are “precious” additions to the CMZoo family, their backstory is still a reminder of the realities wildlife face when humans get too close to wild animals. The cubs’ mother was euthanized due to a long history of conflicts with humans and attractants. The most recent incident was a confirmed livestock depredation in Montana.
“I believe people have good intentions and think they’re helping wildlife by feeding them or following them to get a great photo. But, it’s our responsibility to make sure wild animals don’t get used to humans,” Zwicker said.
Officials said the cubs will continue to acclimate to life in human care in the zoo’s conservation center, away from guest view.
The quarantine period will help the cubs adjust and allow the zoo’s veterinary staff to provide examinations under anesthesia, vaccinations and medications, officials said.
Officials said it is unlikely members and guests will be able to see the cubs in the Rocky Mountain Wild for many weeks.
There are no plans to name the cubs yet, officials said, and their sexes have not been identified.
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