An orphaned black bear cub, whose future was at one point uncertain, has found a new, permanent home at Sequoia Park Zoo in California.
The hairless bear cub was rescued in El Dorado County, California after several residents reported him slinking through the neighborhood in December 2024. After six months of intensive treatment, the cub has made an incredible recovery, gaining 60 pounds and growing back all of his hair. Residence and treatment has been provided by Gold Country Wildlife Rescue in Auburn, California.
Despite the cub’s comeback, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife determined he is not fit for a return to the wild. Specifically, the agency has concerns about the cub’s fur coat and whether it would be able to sustain winter conditions. As a result, the cub will be placed permanently at the Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, California, about 270 miles north of San Francisco. At the zoo, the cub will receive ongoing treatment and daily enrichment.
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What type of treatment did the bear receive?
In Gold Country Wildlife Rescue’s care, the bear cub received topical and environmental antifungal protocols; treatments for his ear infections, nutritional support; and supplements to support immune function, reduce inflammation, and restore skin and coat health, according to a news release.
When the cub was brought in to the rescue, he weighed only about 22 pounds. As of June 8, the cub weighed nearly 80, a news release states. According to the Bear With Us Centre for Bears, 1-year-old black bears should weigh between 15 pounds to more than 100 pounds, depending on their food supply.
Cub 24-3926 peaks his head out for a photo. Rescued in El Dorado County, California in December 2024, Cub 24-3926 will soon be a permanent resident at Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, California.
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Preparing for a new home
Sequoia Park Zoo’s bear habitat features a stream bed, including a waterfall that flows into a pond for swimming and foraging; log structures for resting and playing; and redwood trees for climbing, according to a news release. The cub will join the zoo’s two resident black bears, Tule and Ishŭng, who are both three years old.
For his six months in human care, the bear cub has been referred to as solely Cub 24-3926. However, once the cub is transferred to the zoo, he will receive a real name. The name will be selected by the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, who funded the zoo’s bear habitat, according to a news release.
A date for the cub’s transfer had not been finalized, as of June 8.
Cub 24-3926 was rescued in El Dorado County, California in December 2024. He will soon be a permanent resident at Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka, California.
What was wrong with the bear cub?
When the bear cub arrived to Gold Country Wildlife Rescue in December 2024, he was dehydrated, anemic, severely underweight, suffering from ear infections in both ears and a skin infection, as previously reported by USA TODAY. The cub was also about 90% hairless.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch: Orphaned black bear cub finds new home at Sequoia Park Zoo