A California black bear cub that escaped from a rescue center is running loose in the ski resort city of South Lake Tahoe, the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife said.
The 13-month-old male named Seiad does not like people and had spent his days hiding in his den. He was orphaned in a neighboring county last year and brought to the Tahoe Wildlife Center in December. Seiad was severely malnourished and underweight by 20 pounds.
He now weighs 50 pounds and is in good condition, the Department of Fish and Wildlife said on its Facebook page.
“We assume that he has found a hiding place and will stay hidden until he gets hungry. This will be our best opportunity to locate him. We are not asking anyone to track him or approach him as this may scare him deeper into hiding,” the Facebook page said.
BIDEN MAY LIFT HUNTING PROTECTIONS FOR GRIZZLY BEARS
Wildlife officials had planned to release him back into the wild when he was old enough, but he escaped on Feb. 9. He is not old enough to survive long-term in the current freezing conditions.
Seiad is microchipped and has a metal tag in his right ear. He isn’t dangerous to people, but he will likely run if approached. Officials hope someone spots him and notifies the wildlife agency.
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A 6-month-old bear was rescued in August 2021 following the massive Tamarack Fire. He escaped from the same facility and was not recaptured. A news crew filmed him last summer wading into a muddy pond, then finding a plastic toy bear in the water.
