Bear Cub Rescue

Ring! Police Chief Tadd Bailey got an urgent call at the station. He needed to respond right away! A mother bear was in the road with her five cubs. They were holding up traffic.

That was strange. Chief Bailey had gotten a lot of calls about bears in his time as a police officer. But he had never heard of a mother bear and cubs holding up traffic.

The caller said the mother bear was very upset. Would Chief Bailey be able to help?

Tadd Bailey is a Police Chief. One day he got an important call at the station. It was urgent. He needed to answer right away! A mother bear was in the road. She had five cubs and they were stopping traffic.

It was strange. Chief Bailey had gotten a lot of calls about bears. But he had never heard of a mother bear and cubs stopping traffic.

The caller said the mother bear was very upset. Would Chief Bailey be able to help?

Ring! Police Chief Tadd Bailey got an urgent call at the station, and he needed to respond right away! A mother bear was standing in the road with her five cubs, holding up traffic.

That was strange. Chief Bailey had gotten a lot of calls about bears in his time as a police officer, but he had never heard of a mother bear and cubs holding up traffic.

The caller reported the mother bear was very upset. Would Chief Bailey be able to help?

Chief Bailey arrived at the scene. He was shocked at what he saw!

A mama black bear was pacing in the road. Three of her cubs were following her back and forth.

But two of the cubs were not. They were smaller than the others. They were weak. They would walk a few steps and stop.

“The mom was trying to coax them along,” Chief Bailey says. She wanted the two weak cubs to come with her. But they were having a hard time moving.

Chief Bailey called bear experts. They decided to rescue the weakest cub right then. It was urgent.

They would leave the other cub with its mom to see if it would get stronger over time.

Chief Bailey arrived at the scene. He was shocked at what he saw!

A mama black bear was walking back and forth. She was pacing in the road. Three of her cubs were following her.

But two of the cubs were not. They were smaller than the others. They were weak. They would walk a few steps. Then they would stop.

“The mom was trying to coax them along,” Chief Bailey says. She wanted the two weak cubs to come with her. But they were having trouble moving.

Chief Bailey called for help. He called bear experts. They decided to rescue the weakest cub right then because it was urgent.

They would leave the other cub with its mom. They would wait to see if it would get stronger.

Chief Bailey arrived at the scene. He was shocked at what he saw.

A mama black bear was pacing in the road, and three of her cubs were following her back and forth!

But two of the cubs were not. They were smaller than the others, and they were weak. They would stumble a few steps and stop.

“The mom was trying to coax them along,” Chief Bailey says. She wanted the two weak cubs to come with her. But they were having a hard time moving.

Chief Bailey called bear experts. Because it was urgent, they decided to rescue the weakest cub immediately.

They would leave the other cub with its mom to see if it would improve and get stronger.

But bears are dangerous. “You should never approach a mom bear with her cubs,” Chief Bailey says. If you go near her, she could attack!

But he had worked with bears for many years. He knew a lot about them. Approaching the mom was risky, but she did not seem dangerous.

Chief Bailey and another officer went up. The mama did not make a sound. She sat and watched.

“I believe that she wanted help and knew it would be good for her cubs,” he says.

He picked up the weaker cub in the palm of his hand.  “It was like picking up a teddy bear,” he says. The cub was so light and weak. He brought it to the police station.

Wildlife experts got the cub and took it to the Kilham Bear Center to get better. Chief Bailey had saved a cub! But the story wasn’t over.

But bears are dangerous. “You should never approach a mom bear with her cubs,” Chief Bailey says. She might attack!

Chief Bailey knew a lot about bears. He had worked with them for many years. Getting close to the mom could be unsafe. But she did not seem dangerous.

Chief Bailey and another officer went up to the cub. The mama bear did not make a sound. She sat. She watched.

“I believe that she wanted help. She knew it would be good for her cubs,” he says.

He picked up the weaker cub. It fit in the palm of his hand. “It was like picking up a teddy bear,” he says. It was so light. It was also weak. He brought the cub to the police station.

Wildlife experts took the cub to the Kilham Bear Center. It could get better there. Chief Bailey had saved a cub! But the story wasn’t over.

Bears are known to be dangerous. “You should never approach a mom bear with her cubs,” Chief Bailey says. If you move toward her, she could attack!

But he had experience working with bears for many years. He knew a lot about them. Approaching the mom was risky, but she did not seem dangerous.

Chief Bailey and another officer approached the cub. The mama did not make a sound as she sat and watched.

“I believe that she wanted help and knew it would be good for her cubs,” he says.

He picked up the weaker cub in the palm of his hand. “It was like picking up a teddy bear,” he says, because it was so light and weak. He brought the cub to the police station.

Wildlife experts picked up the cub and transported it to the Kilham Bear Center to get better. Chief Bailey had saved a cub—but the story wasn’t over!