The Virginian-Pilot
©
SUFFOLK
Two bear cubs were removed from a tree after a car hit and killed their mother, a 120-pound black bear, on U.S. 58 Monday morning.
Police spokeswoman Debbie George said officials responded to several calls about bear sightings around 7:30 a.m. When authorities arrived, they found a large bear had been struck and killed by a car as the animal crossed the highway near the downtown exit, George said. A city spokeswoman said officials did not know who hit the bear.
The cubs, both males weighing about 20 pounds, were found in a nearby tree, wildlife biologist Aaron Proctor said. After authorities tranquilized the cubs, one climbed down, Proctor said.
The other climbed higher.
"He fell asleep in the crook of the tree and was out," Proctor said.
Using a bucket truck, authorities pried the cub loose. It fell about 40 feet but didn't appear to have any broken bones, Proctor said.
The cubs will be taken to Richmond, where a biologist and veterinarian will examine them. If they decide the bears can forage on their own, Proctor said, they might be released into the wild. If not, they would likely go to a rehabilitation center.
This is the third bear incident Proctor has responded to this year, he said. In April, a black bear wandered to the Oceanfront. A few months later, in July, authorities tranquilized a 350-pound black bear in Portsmouth.
Proctor said media coverage could give people the wrong impression about the number of bears in the area.
"It gives the perception that we're rampant with bears," Proctor said.
That's not the case, he said. The population is up, but not tremendously.
Proctor advised people to keep their pet food, birdseed and pets inside if a black bear is sighted. They can report the sighting to authorities, he said, but shouldn't expect officials to show up with a tranquilizer gun.
"We only really remove animals that are in a situation they can't get out of," Proctor said.
The two stranded cubs would not have been able to safely get out of the area on their own, he said.
"Their mother is dead," Proctor said. "We had to get them out."
Sarah Hutchins, (757) 222-5210, sarah.hutchins@pilotonline.com
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When
I drive to work from the BFE region of Suffolk, I always look for animals. Wild ones and dogs that owners let run. I always have a few cars that sit directly on my bumper as I do the posted limit(45) on the back road. When I come back into BFE on 58, I have cars sitting on my bumper as I do 60(the posted limit). They usually pass me and disappear into the distance. Mama Bear never stood a chance.
Bear Cubs
The Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro has taken in the cubs. They will receive excellent care there and will be released when they are able to survive on their own. They arrived at the Center this morning around 9:15. You can visit their website at www.wildlifecenter.org
The dismal swamp burnt them out of their home
It will take them a few years to recover.
Recovery Time
Due to the extent and size of the "Burn Area" within the Swamp...a vast area just south of the lake, full recovery time within the effected Swamp/forest will be Decades upward of 70 years, if no "Forest Management", programs get into action planting new trees...If an "Intensive Replanting effort", gets underway the timeframe drops down to about 30 to 40 years...Just so you know, the burn effected forest/swamp area will not "Bounce Back", within a few years...I have looked at (Google Maps), satellite pictures of past forest fire burn areas within the swamp and some as old as 30-40 years past still are in a recovery stage, even after extensive replanting efforts.
Bears..On the move.
I would speculate that the odds are about 50-50 that the Mother Bear, was"Forced"to move across this busy road because of"territorial Issues"involving another Bear. A forced migration because of a Territorial conflict with a larger male bear. Bears are very territorial and object to a new bear that comes to be in their Territory, this conflict is the reason most bears would move into unknown areas, other reason are lack of food sources, mating or sickness. Most bears would avoid crossing a busy road, this causes me to speculate and note, to a male bear with an estabilished territory, the Incroachment of a mother bear, with cubs, will cause a territorial response, most likely forcing the smaller mother bear out. I hope well for the Cubs.
So Sad
Bears are very big. From a distance, they look like huge dogs. Drive slowly when you see one. They are unpredictable, yes, but you have control of your car, right? Newspapers in areas with wildlife, publish times when bears or deer etc. are likely to be a problem. They do this to avoid problems. Having lived in areas with wildlife, I know this is true. I also know how to drive in "The Country" which seems to NOT be anywhere around this area from the kind of articles like this published in the last couple months. The only thing "Country" in this area is country music, pick-up trucks, and baseball caps. Living in the country requires some basic knowledge of wildlife behavior and some respect for same. "Country" people know these things.
That's cute.
Way off base, but cute. I was born, raised and learned to drive in the middle of Norfolk. My hobby takes me all over Virginia and northeast North Carolina. The hobby involves the eeeee-ville handgun so where we meet and shoot are some of the most back-road places you'll find in the country. I haven't hit an animal in the country yet. The timing has been in my favor. The last wild animal I squished was a squirrel – on Edwin Dr. here in duh beach
A friend of mine in Raphine, hit, of all things, a bull. She was born, raised, learned to drive and lives there.
country
You know your in the country when a bear comes up to your window and looks inside after you've finished a barbecue on your deck and about 25 people are sitting in the living room visiting after dinner. Given the excitement when a bear appeared in someone's tree at the oceanfront, I don't think this is too country, or that many people really know much about wild animals. There are several comments on this blog that have shown that there are many people here....with superior language skills, I might add...who show a respect,understanding and empathy for animals. We must learn to share the planet.
Driver awareness
Thanks for the comment. Even in city areas I am very wildlife aware, I have noted deer many times on such roads as Centervill Turnpike, that seems to be on a migration route for these animals..and the places on this road I have seen them is not at all "Country"...I do not desire to run over a persons pet either...I don't follow too close, nor do I speed, these things also help in my reaction time...People that drive as you say are truely "Careless Drivers" and I don't share their habbits..All drivers should be aware that the car or truck that they drive is able to quickly kill an animal or human...many forget this, driving as if they own the road and driving with this attitude is DANGEROUS.
I cannot read on, this story
I cannot read on, this story is UNBEARABLE