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Rescuers are calling the survival of a black bear cub believed to have burned to death earlier this week a Christmas miracle.
On December 20The Northern Lights Wildlife Society said it was alerted to a bear cub in “dire need” near Dawson Creek in northeastern British Columbia and said a volunteer rushed to the scene to find the animal buried in the snow at the base of a tree.
Northern Lights officials said the clock was ticking on whether the cub would even be able to survive the nightgiven that the society's headquarters in Smithers was at least a nine-hour drive against the backdrop very cold conditions which covered the province throughout the week.
But the cub made it successfully to the Northern Lights thanks to volunteers who took her first to Prince George and then to Smithers after she warmed up in the pen.
Angelika Langen, manager and co-founder of the organization, said in the Christmas Eve update that the bear had “been through so much” and her survival was “a true Christmas miracle.”
“We thought there might be frostbite and so on…we confirmed that she did suffer burns,” Langen said in a video update.
“We assume she has gone into hibernation. And that the pile she slept in was set on fire,” she added. “They burned some of her fur, they burned her face, they burned her feet, her front paws, pretty bad.”
However, Langen said the bear will survive and thanked community members for their well wishes.
In an interview with CBC News, Langen said the bear was first spotted sleeping in the middle of the road in Dawson Creek.
Earlier this week, a black bear cub suffered severe burns near Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Volunteers transported him across the province to the Northern Lights Wildlife Society in Smithers, where rescuers say he will make a miraculous recovery.
“[Residents] decided that this was not the best place for her, and seemed to drive her off the street under a tree. It was on Saturday evening,” said the rescuer.
“They realized the bear was not okay and called us.”
Langen said she suspects the fire that burned the bear was not set intentionally, and it's not uncommon for hibernating bears to make their dens in logged piles in the forest that are destined for burning.
She said the cub was likely born in January and was thin for its size, weighing 44 pounds (19.9 kilograms).
“At this weight it would be difficult for her to come out of hibernation in the spring in good shape,” the rescuer said.
Langen says it's unclear whether the cub's mother was with her at the time of the fire or not, although it's likely she was, given that mother bears and cubs typically sleep together.
“We can think about all sorts of different possibilities,” she said.
“But we do know that she was burned, frozen, and now she has a long recovery period ahead of her.”
Northern Lights is based in Smithers, British Columbia, approximately 450 kilometers west of Dawson Creek as the crow flies.
It is one of three organizations in the province allowed to raise orphaned bear cubs, and the only one allowed to rehabilitate and release grizzly bear cubs.
Rights group calls for investigation
The forest industry is necessary provinces to dispose of piles and debris to “reduce fire hazards.”
But Leslie Fox, executive director of British Columbia-based wildlife charity Fur-Bearers, says it's important to understand that these mounds of branches and brush are used by wildlife.
“Animals such as bear cubs use it as an artificial den,” she added. “Small mammals, such as squirrels, try to find safety and warmth in the bush.”
She said burning these piles without checking for wildlife could have devastating consequences.
“It’s rare, but it happens,” Fox said.
According to BC wildlife regulationAnyone planning to light a Category 3 open fire, which involves “slanting” burning to remove woody debris left behind from timber harvesting, should register their burn with the BC Forest Fire Service and consult with local authorities.
It also states that the person responsible for lighting a fire should only do so “if conditions are and will remain safe.”
Fox says her organization is calling for an investigation into the matter.
“Did this person exercise caution, or did he just carelessly set fire to his pile and didn’t check to make sure there were no animals in it?” she asked. “We definitely need more information.”
