Injured bear cub recovering from burns after being rescued from California wildfires
(Photos: US Forest Service/Twitter)
Marklee, California, residents on Sunday called wildlife rescuers after discovering a burned black bear cub in their yard, according to Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care (LTWC).
The cub was burned in the Tamarack Fire, which started on July 4 as a result of a lightning bolt and has been raging since as firefighters work to contain its spread, south of Lake Tahoe.
"We found the cub — sedated it — (tried to run down the hill in the pitch black dark but we found him) & headed back to LTWC," the wildlife nonprofit dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing injured animals said in a Monday Facebook post.
The 21-pound male cub named "Tamarack" had burns on all four paws, so LTWC officials gave him "pain meds," fluids and treated his injuries.
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Videos posted to LTWC's Facebook page since Monday show the cub walking around with bandages wrapped around his paws.
"Tamarack is stable & resting! We have made him as comfortable as possible!" LTWC said in a Monday evening update. "He must be so scared & even with pain meds and treatment he must be in pain, but we are so grateful to be able to keep him safe & give him a second chance at life!"
The mother bear could not be located, according to a social media post from the Alpine County Unified Command, which was called to the rescue scene on Sunday.
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"We are lucky to have organizations like [LTWC] that work selflessly to rehabilitate injured wildlife in our region," JT Chevallier, Alpine County public information officer, said in a press release. "We are grateful for their quick and effective response to the situation. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery for ‘Tamarack,' our four-legged Alpine County resident."
The Tamarack Fire covers more than 68,000 acres, and 54% of the fire has been contained as of Tuesday, according to the U.S. Forest Service.