Orphaned Bear Cubs Get a Home

The female grizzly bear who was found to have killed a hiker in Yellowstone Park has been euthanized. The Park says her two cubs would be sent to a suitable habitat. Now, the announcement has been made. Here is the press release from the Toledo Zoo.

TOLEDO, Ohio – Later this fall, two recently orphaned grizzly bear cubs from Yellowstone National Park will officially call the Toledo Zoo home. The two female grizzly twins were in need of a home following the loss of their mother. She was determined to be a danger to the public and the decision was made by wildlife officials to euthanize her for safety reasons.

The cubs are less than a year old, which wildlife officials state is too young to survive in the wild without their mother. The twins currently weigh approximately 50-60 pounds each. When fully grown, an adult female grizzly can weigh up to 500 pounds. The exact arrival date for the cubs is yet to be determined but is anticipated to be this fall.

Upon their arrival at the Zoo, the cubs will undergo standard quarantine processes to ensure their health and wellness before going on exhibit for public viewing. Additional details about the cubs and their exhibit space will be announced after their arrival. Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) are a North American sub-species of brown bears. Grizzlies were once widespread throughout western and plain states; however, their population decreased dramatically with the development of the west. Today only 2,300 live in the four states of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Washington. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service lists grizzly bears as threatened in the lower 48 states. It has been over 30 years since brown bears resided at the Toledo Zoo. When the cubs arrive, the Zoo will then be home to three bear species: grizzly, polar and sloth.