By Erika Pedroza | Published Thursday, July 2, 2009
Three orphaned black bear cubs from Wyoming, whose mother was shot by a hunter who contacted authorities, have a new home in the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Boyd.
Three orphaned black bear cubs from Wyoming, whose mother was shot by a hunter who contacted authorities, have a new home in the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Boyd.
"The hunter must have felt bad so he turned himself in," animal sanctuary executive director Richard Gilbreath said. "Although it is bear season in Wyoming, it is against the law to shoot a mother bear with cubs following her. I'm sure he faced some kind of fine."
After opening a bear habitat, the sanctuary sent a mass e-mail to game and fish departments across the country to offer their amenity. Last year, the sanctuary took in two bears from the state of Wyoming after their mother was shot in town.
"Our sanctuary is one of the few in the United States that has a 5-acre natural habitat for bears," Gilbreath said. "They still had our name on file from the two bears we took in and we received a call about these three."
The cubs, who arrived June 16, are kept in an air-conditioned room with access to the habitat. However, due to fright and temperature shock, the cubs spend more time in the cool room.
"Where they came from, it is still freezing at night," Gilbreath said. "And they are still scared, so it makes sense that they are spending a lot of their time in the air-conditioned room.
The cubs are not named, but the sanctuary seeks donors who could earn naming rights.
"We are hoping someone would help us out by giving a $5,000 donation that would help take care of these cubs," Gilbreath said. "The donors would have the privilege of naming a bear."
For more information, to donate or to set up a tour, call (940) 433-5091 or send an e-mail to richard@bigcats.com.
