Three new cubs arrive at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - And then there were four. Blaze, Yreka, Paradise, and Pioneer are now making a temporary home at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care (LTWC).

On Tuesday, March 12, 2019, Tom and Cheryl Millham, founders of LTWC, drove to Rancho Cordova to pick up Blaze and Yreka, two very young cubs from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Investigation Lab.

The two cubs were turned into the agency by someone who said they were found along the road in Yreka, California, a story Fish & Wildlife is currently investigating. No deceased mother bear and no blood was found near the cubs. At their age and size, they couldn't have traveled far. Anyone with information is asked to contact the investigators at 916.358.2790.

Yreka, who weighed in at 4.38 lbs, and Blaze, who weighed 4.14 lbs upon arrival, are the two youngest and smallest cubs to ever be at LTWC.

Since arriving 10 days ago each of the cubs has gained one pound. They are drinking up formula Cheryl makes up, about 4-5 ounces at feedings (20 ounces a day). She feeds Blaze and Tom takes the duty with Yreka.

At their 8:00 a.m. feeding on Friday both cubs took a while to settle down and eat as they were "screaming and hollering and a bit rambunctious," according to Tom.

The brothers play with each other as well as sleep with each other. They now snooze about 22 hours a day and spend the remaining two hours feeding and playing on the ground with a teddy bear. As they get older and stronger this routine will include more awake and play time.

Since arriving the pair are becoming famous, with television coverage by CBS, FOX, and ABC.

LTWC received another cub on Thursday who came from the burned area of Paradise, Calif. Now named "Paradise," the cub had some burns on paws but appears to be okay. He is a small, second-year cub (14 months old) and weighed about 14 lbs upon arrival. Fish and Wildlife asked the Millhams to keep him for a couple of months and put some weight on him. The agency will determine when Paradise is ready to return home. Tom said he'll be about 60 pounds at the time and ready to thrive in the wild. (No pictures yet of Paradise)

His diet at LTWC includes a quart of formula a day.

Yreka, Blaze, and Paradise join Pioneer who has been at LTWC for seven months is thriving and about 100 pounds now. He was found on Pioneer trail and weighed only 30 pounds. His mother had been hit by a car and was living on his own for a while.

Fish and Wildlife determine when and where cubs rehabilitated at LTWC will be released. They will take them within 75 miles of where they were found in spring or winter, depending on circumstances. Winter released cubs are asleep and put into a pre-made or abandoned den with straw they'd used while at LTWC. They wake up and have familiar smells around them as they prepare for life in the wild. Spring released cubs are awake and taken to the determined area and let go.

All of this care takes money, and donations are always welcomed by Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.

The formula for babies costs about $30-$40 a week, then when they start eating food that bill goes up to $100 a week, even with donations of food received by Raley's and Grocery Outlet. The cubs will move from formula to oatmeal, grapes and watermelon, peaches and peach syrup (all bears and other wildlife love grapes and watermelon).

LTWC will be moving to their new home on Al Tahoe Boulevard this fall. A grand opening of the new facility is scheduled tentatively on Cheryl's birthday, October 5.

The new property will have twelve cages (but eight will be open this fall), a new aviary which is tripled in size from the current one in the Millham's yard, and four areas for raccoons, otters, and beavers. The bobcat cage will be four times the current size.

The new bear environment will be ten times the current cage size with nine isolation areas for those undergoing treatment, four indoor play areas and two outside.

Until more funding for the new property comes in the office will be temporarily located in one of the eight cages and a mobile home or RV will be brought in to house the person in charge of the facility.

To donate to the bears and/or new facility, visit the LTWC website HERE.