Man pulls bear cub from tree in North Carolina, caught on camera

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) – A group of people pulled two bear cubs from a tree in North Carolina and took photos with them, according to wildlife officials.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) shared video of the incident, which was reported at an apartment complex in Asheville on Tuesday, April 16.

In the video, several people approach a tree with two cubs perched on a branch. The team then began pulling the animal from the tree. One person who took a photo with the cub eventually threw it away after hearing a loud scream.

“Did she just throw it away? Oh my god, it’s running, poor little thing,” an onlooker says in the video.

Witnesses told wildlife officials that a cub bit one of the bears before it escaped.

Ashley Hobbs, NCWRC’s BearWise coordinator, said she later found a cub in poor condition in a nearby reservoir.

The cub looked lethargic and frightened. She said it appeared to be using one front paw and was wet and shaking.

Colleen Olfenbuttel, the NCWRC’s game mammals and surveys supervisor, said in a statement that the bear’s condition “was likely the result of unnecessary and irresponsible actions by the individuals involved.”

The cub was taken to a licensed rehabilitation facility, which hopes to release it back into the wild later this year. The other cub has not yet been found.

Ashley and our law enforcement officers searched the area for the second cub but were unable to find it. “We hope he can be reunited with his mother because he is too young to survive on his own,” said James Tomberlin, NCWRC director of mountain operations.

Wildlife officials thanked the Buncombe County Sheriff for notifying the NCWRC of the incident and the person who recorded and submitted the footage.

“We want to thank the person who took the video and contacted the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, otherwise we wouldn’t have known about this incident,” Orfenbattle said. This Good Samaritan action helped us rescue at least one pup, and her video provides the documentation we need to better understand what happened.

The NCWRC said it was still investigating the incident, but commission spokesperson Anna Gurney told The Associated Press that no charges would be filed.

What should you do if you see a bear?

Anyone who suspects they have encountered an orphaned bear cub should contact wildlife officials and do not attempt to capture it.

However, wildlife biologists say bear cubs seen alone are rarely orphaned or abandoned.

“Female bears typically search for food nearby and return within a few hours or more,” they explain. “Remaining in the area or trying to catch the cub may inadvertently separate it from its mother and potentially harm the cub.”

They say people should give the mother enough space and time to bond with her cubs.

NCWRC shares some tips to avoid harming yourself or your cubs:

• Don’t deal with it.
• Don’t try to catch it.
• Do not remove it.
• Don’t feed it.

When it comes to food, wildlife experts say cubs require a very specific diet and store-bought formula or other foods (pet food, fruit) can seriously damage their health.

“The public should never feed a bear of any age,” Orfenbartel said. “This will cause it to become habituated to humans, making its successful return to the wild more challenging. Last year, an orphaned cub was rescued by people. Raising and feeding, despite the best efforts of our rehabilitators, the pup was too habituated to be successfully released back into the wild.

She also explained that it is illegal to capture or keep black bear cubs in North Carolina.

Offenbartel said that as we saw in this incident, it often doesn’t end well for either people or bears.