Injured bear cub rescued in Colorado mountain community, taken to rehab facility

What began as a report of a dog near a highway in the Colorado community of Westcliffe turned into a rescue when deputies discovered an injured baby bear.

According to the Custer County Sheriff's Office, someone reported a dog was wandering on the highway near Airport Road on Wednesday. But when a deputy arrived at the scene, they discovered a malnourished and dehydrated bear cub with an injured foot.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife instructed deputies on how to capture the baby bear and take it safely back to the sheriff's office. A CPW officer later picked up the cub and took it to a facility near Del Norte for rehabilitation and veterinary care. 

Authorities say the bear cub will spend the winter in an artificial den and will be released into the wilderness when she wakes up from hibernation.

CPW is also working to locate a yearling bear in the area that was recently spotted in Westcliffe. Deputies herded the bear out of town, but CPW officers are hoping to capture it so it can be safely relocated.

This is an unusually active year for bear sightings, CPW says. They explained that, due to drought conditions and limited natural food resources, bears are struggling to find enough food in their own habitats. That's causing them to venture into more populated areas in search of other food sources.