On May 10, the Wildlife Center admitted another Black Bear cub -- the fourth cub to join the "cubs of 2021"! This small bear was found alone in Botetourt County; rescuers saw the cub on its own for three days, with no sign of the sow. A retired Conservation Police Officer came to retrieve the cub and took it to the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke; the cub was given fluids before he was sent to the Wildlife Center the following day.
Dr. Jenn, one of the Center's veterinary interns, examined the male cub when he arrived. The bear was thin and slightly dehydrated, though was otherwise healthy. The cub weighed 1.71 kg, currently the smallest of the four cubs at the Center.
The bear was placed in a crate in the Center's surgery room for the night, just to keep the bear quiet and alone for a short period of observation while the veterinary team waits for bloodwork and fecal results. The cub will be fed a specialized bear formula three times a day.