Months after a controversial incident in Asheville, where residents pulled a bear cub from a tree for a selfie, the cub has been safely returned to the wild in Western North Carolina. Wildlife rehabilitation specialists cared for the bear until it was healthy enough for release into a remote mountain area, equipped with a tracking collar and ID tag, as reported by abc11.
The bear gained attention in April when a video of residents pulling it from a tree for selfies went viral, leading to action by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC). According to WRAL News, the cub ended up in a retention pond before being moved to a sanctuary. However, its sibling, also seen in the video, remains missing, and it is unclear if the cubs were orphaned or temporarily alone while their mother was foraging.
The wildlife community hopes this incident highlights the legal and ethical risks of interfering with wildlife, especially for the sake of a photo. NCWRC biologist Colleen Olfenbuttel warned, "People who try to capture or handle a cub are not only risking the cub's safety, but their own if the mother bear is nearby, as she may try to defend her cubs," according to WRAL News.
"The GPS collar data shows that she is adjusting well to life back in the wild," Ashley Hobbs, NCWRC Bearwise coordinator, told abc11.
