Orphaned bear cub camps out under Eagle deck

Gary Feldman/Courtesy photo
Locals’ heartstrings are being pulled by an unexpected new neighbor — a young black bear who takes shelter beneath a front porch in Eagle. The cub has been living in the neighborhood since its mother was struck and killed by a car on Oct. 6. and residents are beginning to worry for its well-being.
Gary Feldman lives a few doors down from the residence the bear cub has been sleeping beneath. Feldman explained that while the cub hasn’t endangered anyone within the community, it likely wouldn’t be able to survive within the neighborhood for long.
“He’s surviving off crab apple trees out all over our street and doesn’t seem to know where to go,” Feldman said. “He’s completely lost without his mother.”
The young bear doesn’t seem to be concerned with making its way back into the wild, Feldman explained. Knowing a bear’s ideal habitat is not among (or beneath) Eagle residences, Feldman said he and some neighbors have attempted to contact local resources that might be able to assist with removing the bear from the neighborhood and getting it somewhere it can grow up safely.
“We’ve already called all the authorities we can think of around here,” Feldman said. “Nobody wants to do anything because he’s so young and he’s not a physical threat to anybody.”

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Colorado Parks and Wildlife Area 8 Glenwood Springs Office was contacted for a comment. The office stated that they are aware of the Eagle cub’s situation and that the course of action is “up to the wildlife officer.”
Organizations like wildlife parks and animal sanctuaries are available to take in the orphaned cub, however, the organization needs the OK from a government agency like Game and Fish, the Forest Service or Parks and Wildlife. Wet Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation and Bearizona Wildlife Park are examples of wildlife organizations that may assist in the cub’s rescue. Carrie Phy at Bearizona explained that once an agency wrangles the bear up, they can contact the wildlife park and start the cub on its rescue plan.
Despite not being a danger to the community, Feldman said he still would like to see an agency with the authority to remove the bear step in as soon as possible. He explained that while the cub doesn’t put any people or pets at risk now, the bear itself is put in higher and higher risk the longer it remains in the neighborhood.
“If he stays here, he is going to die eventually,” Feldman said. “Winter is coming and he doesn’t know where to go or anything, so that’s the situation.”

Gary Feldman/Courtesy photo
Not having a mama bear around poses more than one problem to the cub residing beneath an Eagle porch. Feldman explained that some community members have taken it upon themselves to help feed the cub.
While it might be intended as a kind and thoughtful gesture, feeding a bear cub can snowball into creating more problems. Most notably, feeding a lost and lonely bear cub can eventually threaten the lives of people and the bear itself. Concerns like these are valid, Phy explained, as bear-human relations will always require caution and can have lasting impacts.
“Sadly, bears that obtain human food may lose their natural fear of humans,” a National Park Service warning explained. “Over time, they may become bold or aggressive in their attempts to obtain human food and become a threat to public safety. When this happens, the bear pays the ultimate price — it is destroyed.”
In hopes of securing a fate for the Eagle cub that is brighter than its mother’s, Feldman said he aims to catch the attention of an animal protection agency, reserve or some other entity with the capacity to help the “little guy.”
