Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Our spring member drive has ended, but it's not too late to give. You have the power to help fund the essential journalism that keeps us all informed. Help us close the gap on our spring fundraising goal! GIVE NOW

Rehabilitated bear cub returns to the wild

The small, young bear that was rescued and relocated by the Division of Wildlife Resources earlier this fall has been released back into the wild.

Darren DeBloois, Game Mammals Coordinator for the UDWR, oversaw her journey from the USDA National Wildlife Research Center in Millville where she was rehabilitated. Last week she was brought back to Southern Utah, where she was found, and released. DeBloois said the bear appeared to be in good health and had gained a good amount of weight since her arrival in September.

“She came in about 30 pounds, and she weighed about 70. So that'll get her through the winter,” DeBloois said.

The young bear has a collar so that biologists can monitor her movements in the wild. DeBloois said she displayed typical wild bear behavior upon release, and he hopes she will soon find a den to settle down for hibernation.

Caroline Long is a science reporter at UPR. She is curious about the natural world and passionate about communicating her findings with others. As a PhD student in Biology at Utah State University, she spends most of her time in the lab or at the coyote facility, studying social behavior. In her free time, she enjoys making art, listening to music, and hiking.