A wildlife rehabilitation center in Wisconsin took in three eight-week-old cubs after their mother died in a research accident that suffocated one of her cubs.
Wild Instincts Animal Rehabilitation Center in Rhinelander took in staggering cubs after their mother was strangled in their den. An older two-year-old bear cub weighing 125 pounds rolled onto her head while the bears were sedated with tranquilizers during a routine change of the mama bear’s radio collar. The name of the research facility involved in the fatal incident has not been released.
Mark Naniot, director of Wild Instincts, said on Wisconsin Public Radio’s Morning Show last week that he’s not sure what the researchers are studying, despite the fact that, he says, “people have broken it, so we have to fix it.”
“It was an accident and sometimes things happen,” he said. “In the course of these research projects, we found a lot of useful information. We try to participate whenever we can.”
As a rule, he says, older cubs do not go into their mothers’ burrows – “it was a bit of an unusual situation.” According to him, this is the third time in the last 25 years that something happened to a bear during a research project, as a result of which the cubs came under the care of the institution.
Bear cubs are one of the most expensive animals cared for by the clinic, costing between $3,000 and $4,000 each for eight or so months until they have gained around 100 pounds and are released into the wild.
Wild Instincts Animal Rehabilitation Center in Rhinelander took in staggering bear cubs after their mother suffocated in their den. An older 125-pound 2-year-old bear cub rolled over on its head while the bears were tranquilized during a routine mama bear radio-collar replacement.
The three bears are just taking their first hesitant steps. They are bottle fed and eat well, he said, and have doubled in number since early February.
Last year, Wild Instincts in the Rhinelander (pictured) treated 1,306 animals from more than 110 species, according to its website. As a non-profit organization, it operates solely on donated funds.
Researchers rushed to get the orphaned bears to a wildlife rehabilitation center within two and a half hours, Naniot said. Now they are just taking the first uncertain steps. They are bottle fed and eat well, he said, and have doubled in number since early February.
Bear cubs are one of the most expensive animals that the clinic takes care of. They cost approximately $3,000 to $4,000 each for eight or so months, until they are around 100 pounds and can be released into the wild.
Clinic staff work in shifts of 16 and 17 hours, seven days a week, to meet their round-the-clock needs while continuing to care for other animals in the facility: “we clean toilets in one minute, and feeding takes less time.” in the next minute. So this is a situation where we have to do all of this.”
Mark Naniot (pictured), director of Wild Instincts, said on Wisconsin Public Radio’s Morning Show last week that he wasn’t sure what the researchers were studying when the bears’ mother died, despite the fact that, according to him In the words, “people are broken.” it, so we have to fix it’
In addition to meat, bears eat a lot of berries and vegetation – while rehabilitating bears, Wild Instincts receives weekly – expensive – deliveries of grapes, bananas, apples, peaches, pears, plums and other products.
Wild Instincts processed 1,306 animals from over 110 species last year, according to the website. As a non-profit organization, it operates solely on donated funds.
Amid a string of canceled fundraisers during the COVID-19 pandemic, donations to Wild Instincts have dwindled. The clinic also suffers from volunteers, although they usually see several interns apply for positions throughout the year.
The typical career for a wildlife rehabilitator is three years due to long hours and low pay, Naniot said. According to him, in the last ten years he had only one day off – “and this is only because I was too sick to work.”