Orphaned Bear Cub Burned In 416 Fire Now Released Into The Wild
DURANGO, Colo. (AP/CBS4) - An orphaned bear cub burned by a Colorado wildfire has been released back into the wild. The Durango Herald reports that the cub was placed in the mountains west of Durango on Friday.
The bear was asleep as she was placed inside a man-made den along with a second orphaned cub. Officials hope they will not wake up until spring when food is more available.
The injured cub's feet were severely burned in a wildfire that raged north of Durango last summer. After some time at the Frisco Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Del Norte, experts took the wraps off her paws.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said the cub weighed only 10 pounds when she came to the wildlife rehabilitation center, but has since gained 80 pounds.
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Once the cub was able to walk, she was moved to a pen with other cubs.
The center limits human interaction, giving the cubs a better chance at survival when released.
Wildfire Resources
- Visit CBSDenver.com's Colorado Wildfire section.
Wildfire Photo Galleries
- See images from the most destructive wildfires (Black Forest, Waldo Canyon, High Park and Fourmile), the deadliest (Storm King) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)