Two Whistler residents are pleading for locals to be on the lookout for cubs that may have been orphaned in Whistler after the .
The black bear was killed after knocking a woman down and biting her in Kadenwood, a forested neighbourhood connected to Whistler Mountain that largely consists of second homeowners. The woman has non-life threatening injuries. The cubs were captured on video this week by a construction worker, screaming beside a tree.
Ellie Lamb, , was at the site this morning when Pique reached her by phone. She is experienced with bear cub rescues and a wildlife advocate from her time in Bella Coola.
“My concern is for the orphaned cubs and the lady bitten by the mom. The baby cubs haven’t been picked up,” she said, estimating they weigh three and a half lbs. Construction workers in the area told her they have only witnessed one adult bear in the vicinity, and it’s unlikely the cubs belong to another sow.
While Lamb was in the neighbourhood May 2, she said COS officers were on site searching for the cubs, and set a trap for the juveniles. She has spent the past week scouring trails in search of the little ones along with her friend and Whistler local, Tina James. While there is evidence of older bear tracks, she’s concerned about predators.
“I’ve spent time looking for scat. I did notice in these areas there are other animals, old bear tracks, a mountain lion, coyote tracks," Lamb said. "It's concerning for small babies. They were likely born in January, maybe the beginning of February."
The scat Lamb found contains regular vegetation and seeds that black bears eat in spring, and no evidence of human attractants.
“I’ve walked through her trails, there’s no one here. She chose it because it’s safe to live with few people. There are some construction workers during the day and it’s quiet at night,” Lamb said. “She found a refuge to raise her cubs and likely hibernated here given what looks like a natal tree which the cubs didn’t want to leave. Mom’s scent was everywhere.”
Lamb believes the tree shown with the cubs in the video was used by the sow to rest while she nursed her young.
Where will the cubs go?
If the cubs are found, the province’s provides a framework for response and potential rehabilitation at a permitted facility.
The province’s policy mandates monitoring of cubs for 48 hours to ensure their mother is not in the vicinity and advises leaving bears wild if more than eight months old because they can “regularly survive on their own.”
Deciding whether a cub is rehabilitated comes down to discussions between provincial scientists and veterinarians. If deemed fit by the province, the cub is safely captured and brought to a rearing facility before release at a later date.
The closest Pique has reached out to the Society to learn what rehabilitation looks like for cubs that are only a few months old and will have more information early next week.
But according to or Fur-Bearers, a charity that works to hold officials accountable to animal welfare laws, there isn’t full transparency on how decisions about rehabilitation for black bear cubs are made.
They published an when it was released this spring. In it, they say while some of the policy has positive impacts, others could be improved.
They say there is a high threshold for intervention, delaying help for observation causes unneeded suffering, and whether they qualify for rehab is up to the discretion of the province and COS.
Lamb echoed her concern over a lack of transparency in the process.
“We need the COS to have a duty of care to orphaned cubs. It’s now a policy issue,” she said. “It’s discretionary whether they pick them up, kill them or leave them to die. It should be up to the public; the public supports COS and they are paid by our tax dollars. We should determine how they are treated.”
What happens next?
Lamb’s friend James was heading to Kadenwood to continue searching for the cubs on May 2, and she hopes the COS will do more than bait the cubs into a trap.
“What I want them to do is go with a jab stick to tranquilize and scruff them,” James said. “A care centre is ready, our community can help by observing, keeping dogs on leashes.”
The neighbourhood had a different bear incident in 2018, when a . The COS they can’t confirm any connection between the incidents.
In an emailed statement, the COS said a necropsy confirmed the sow was lactating.
"The cubs that were reported in the same area are believed to be from this sow, so a waiting period to determine if they are orphaned is not necessary," a spokesperson said. They are continuing to search for the cubs. If found, the COS will assess whether they can be safely captured.
"They will also be assessed for rehabilitation at a permitted rearing facility. This determination is made by wildlife biologists and the provincial wildlife veterinarian, in accordance with orphaned black bear cub guidelines, and informed by any information received by the Conservation Officer Service. Based on the circumstances of the attack, the sow black bear was dispatched to ensure public safety, as per provincial response guidelines," the COS said.
Check back for updates.
