Conservation officers in Port Alberni rescued a black bear cub that had its foot stuck in a tree.
It was a risky rescue for the B.C. Conservation Officers Service because the mother was close by.
“It’s not a call we get too often, but a bear cub that found itself stuck in a tree had a little help from a CO to get free,” the service said Wednesday in a Facebook post.
Conservation officers responded to a call from a rural resident who heard what was thought to be a bear cub crying out.
“The noise was coming from an area surrounded by tall grass and thick underbrush,” said the conservation service. “The cub had somehow wedged its leg into the crook of a tree and was unable to free itself.” Officers at the scene believe the cub had tried to climb a thin tree, slipped and fell between two tree trunks.
The mother bear and another cub were seen pacing around the area.
Officers tranquilized the cub while scaring the sow away just enough for an officer to be able to get to the cub, free its leg and make sure it was not injured.
The Facebook post said the cub was tagged and left in a safe position so the sow could protect it while it recovered.
The wildlife hotline line is 1-877-952-7277.
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