Video: PAWS takes in orphaned cubs

Larger screen

LYNNWOOD, Wash. - Their mother was hit and killed by a car, but now two small bear cubs are getting a second chance at survival.

The cubs were captured late Monday by wildlife officials and now are getting food, shelter and lessons on living in the wild by volunteers at PAWS in Lynnwood.

In their cages, the bear cubs seem oblivious to the close call they just had. They'd been foraging around a campground in the Cascades with their mother, but over the weekend, she was hit by a car and killed, making them orphans.

Wildlife officials knew the cubs were too small to make it on their own, but instead of using darts, they turned to donuts to capture the young pair.

"Put the catch pole around the donuts and just sat downwind of it so he couldn't smell me and sat just out of the light so there wasn't shadows," said Officer Chris Moszeter, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. "Just waited for him to come and when he stuck his head in there, zip, pulled it tight."

On Tuesday, the cubs - a boy and girl - were taken to their new home at PAWS in Lynnwood.

Once at PAWS, they were sedated; veterinarians then checked their weight, fur, blood and bodies.

"The mother was certainly taking good care of these cubs before she was killed," said Dr. John Huckabee, PAWS veterinarian. "They appear to both be in very good shape."

KING

Their mother was hit by a car and they were too young to fend for themselves. Now two bear cubs are getting human help to grow up strong and healthy.

The cubs have another advantage: each other. They'll be housed together with as little human contact as possible.

"They're probably going to be doing a lot of wrestling, a lot of chasing each other, things that will help them develop their muscles and their skills," said Kevin Mack, PAWS naturalist.

While the cubs are at PAWS, they'll have as natural of a diet as possible. For example, while they're little they'll start off with grubs and worms; eventually, they'll work their way up to the bigger stuff, like small fish and animals.

PAWS naturalists hope the cubs will be double if not triple in size when they're re-released into the wild, likely next spring.

And as cute and compelling as they appear now, they hope no other humans will ever interact with them again.

These cubs are the third and fourth bears to be cared for at PAWS this year alone.