This is older news but very welcome. Slovakia has a strong bear population and orphaned cubs are found and rescued each year. Many of them get placed to local zoos who in result end with overcrowded pens and animals living under bad conditions.
(google translate of article: article )
"The staff of the Veľká Fatra National Park Administration managed to successfully adopt a small bear cub to a surrogate mother! This is the first confirmed case of successful adoption in Slovakia.
For several weeks, the bear cub moved around the built-up area of the village of Belá - Dulice. We assumed that this was only a temporary matter caused by the bear's rut, and the mother would find and take away the cub again after the rut's end. However, such a scenario was not confirmed and the orphaned cub (little bear girl) had to be captured. The staff of the Veľká Fatra National Park Administration caught after a phone call from local citizens in the immediate vicinity of the urban area of the mentioned village. According to locals, it moved along the edge of the urban area for at least 3 weeks and was seen sitting high up in trees in the local cemetery several times.
The bear showed enormous viability after capture. She defended herself and has bitten (the people), which was ultimately good, as she did not show any significant imprinting on human. The condition of about 7 kg weight was surprisingly very good. The cub was able to eat solid food (grass, roots and various herbs) and did not suffer from diarrhea or catarrh.
After careful consideration of the whole situation, we decided to try an adoption to a surrogate mother.
The cub was captured and transported to another location in Veľká Fatra on June 4, 2019. She had contact with the adult female bear the first night. But it was not until about three o'clock in the morning that we managed to notice that the adoption was successful and the bear accepted the cub. We managed to document the whole process using photo traps and direct observations.
We are extremely happy that the adoption attempt was successful and the bear did not have to travel to one of the zoos, where a life in captivity would await her.
Many thanks to all those involved in the adoption and capture in any way.
Namely: Ľudovít Remeník, Július Schestág, Juraj Žiak and Branislav Šebo.
(google translate of article: article )
"The staff of the Veľká Fatra National Park Administration managed to successfully adopt a small bear cub to a surrogate mother! This is the first confirmed case of successful adoption in Slovakia.
For several weeks, the bear cub moved around the built-up area of the village of Belá - Dulice. We assumed that this was only a temporary matter caused by the bear's rut, and the mother would find and take away the cub again after the rut's end. However, such a scenario was not confirmed and the orphaned cub (little bear girl) had to be captured. The staff of the Veľká Fatra National Park Administration caught after a phone call from local citizens in the immediate vicinity of the urban area of the mentioned village. According to locals, it moved along the edge of the urban area for at least 3 weeks and was seen sitting high up in trees in the local cemetery several times.
The bear showed enormous viability after capture. She defended herself and has bitten (the people), which was ultimately good, as she did not show any significant imprinting on human. The condition of about 7 kg weight was surprisingly very good. The cub was able to eat solid food (grass, roots and various herbs) and did not suffer from diarrhea or catarrh.
After careful consideration of the whole situation, we decided to try an adoption to a surrogate mother.
The cub was captured and transported to another location in Veľká Fatra on June 4, 2019. She had contact with the adult female bear the first night. But it was not until about three o'clock in the morning that we managed to notice that the adoption was successful and the bear accepted the cub. We managed to document the whole process using photo traps and direct observations.
We are extremely happy that the adoption attempt was successful and the bear did not have to travel to one of the zoos, where a life in captivity would await her.
Many thanks to all those involved in the adoption and capture in any way.
Namely: Ľudovít Remeník, Július Schestág, Juraj Žiak and Branislav Šebo.