A black bear cub, believed to have sustained burns earlier in the week, has been dubbed a Christmas miracle by rescuers. The Northern Lights Wildlife Society received a distress call about the cub’s critical condition near Dawson Creek in northeast British Columbia on December 20. A volunteer located the cub buried in snow at the base of a tree.
Given the long journey through bitterly cold conditions to the society’s headquarters in Smithers, there were concerns about the cub’s survival. However, volunteers successfully transported her to safety, first to Prince George and then to Smithers after warming her up in a box.
Angelika Langen, the organization’s manager and co-founder, described the bear’s survival as a miraculous event in a Christmas Eve update. Langen revealed in the update that the bear had suffered burns to her fur, face, and front feet, likely resulting from a fire in the area where she was hibernating.
Despite the severe burns, Langen expressed optimism about the bear’s recovery and expressed gratitude for the community’s support. The cub, estimated to have been born in January and weighing 44 pounds, is expected to face a challenging healing process.
The incident has raised questions about the disposal of slash piles by the forest industry, with wildlife advocacy groups emphasizing the importance of checking for wildlife before burning such piles. Lesley Fox, from the charity Fur-Bearers, called for an investigation into the incident, stressing the need for caution when setting fires that could harm wildlife.
The Northern Lights Wildlife Society, located in Smithers, British Columbia, is one of the few organizations in the province permitted to care for orphaned bear cubs and rehabilitate grizzly bear cubs for release back into the wild.