Ramona Wildlife Center gives new lease on life to rescued cubs

East County News Services

August 5, 2025 (Ramona) – Three young black bear cubs found orphaned in Calaveras County have a second chance at life.

Housed and cared for at the San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center, the cubs, thought to be between 6 and 7 months old, were rescued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife after being seen alone for several days. Their mother was never found.

Calaveras County is located in the Gold Country and High Sierra regions of California, situated on the eastern side of the state’s Central Valley. The county seat is San Andreas, with Angels Camp its only incorporated city.

The cubs arrived at the Ramona-headquartered wildlife center on July 24, and it was there that one week later they underwent a full health evaluation. The veterinary team, led by Dr. Alexis Wohl, confirmed their genders — two males and one female. The exams also included dental checks and other diagnostics to assess their overall health.

The SDHS reported that the animals’ evaluation revealed that the female cub had a severe malformed shoulder and elbow, a congenital condition, as well as a bullet lodged in her front paw, and those injuries would have caused a lifetime of pain and mobility issues, Humane Society officials said.

After consulting with California Fish & Wildlife officials, the Ramona team made the decision to humanely euthanize the female cub to prevent prolonged suffering.

“This is never a decision we take lightly,” Dr. Wohl said. “But in cases where an animal’s quality of life would be severely compromised, humane euthanasia is sometimes the most compassionate option.”

The two male cubs were found to be healthy and have since been moved to a large outdoor enclosure designed to mimic their natural habitat. The Project Wildlife team will continue to care for them as they grow stronger, with the goal of releasing them back into the wild.

The Ramona Wildlife Center is the only facility in California with the capacity to rehabilitate black bear cubs at this time, as other centers are full. The SDHS caretaking is critical for the survival of these animals.

Autumn Welch, Wildlife Operations Manager at the center, emphasized the importance of their efforts.

“This is a critical moment for these bears,” she said. “We are doing everything we can to give them the best possible shot at returning to their wild home.”

The Ramona Wildlife Center is San Diego County’s only facility permitted to rehabilitate native apex predators like black bears, mountain lions and bobcats.

SDHS receives no state funding for this work and relies on donations to continue its mission. To learn more or to support its work, visit sdhumane.org/wildlife