SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A female bear was recently hit and killed by a car along Highway 120 in Mariposa, leaving her two small cubs motherless. The pair arrived at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care on Sunday, undernourished and full of ticks and foxtails.
Local veterinarian Dr. Kevin Willetts and a team of volunteers examined them and cleaned them up.
Both cubs are underweight, under 10-pounds which is more than half of what a 6-month-old cub should be. Their mother was also small. It is possible they were moved out of their normal territory by fire, but that is unknown.
The female and male cubs have been named Mari and Posa, due to the area they come from.
Due to their size, the cubs are living on formula and some fruit. The non-profit will work on fattening the cubs, up so they can hibernate this winter and be relocated back to the Mariposa area, but it is possible they’ll have to wait another year due to their size, according to Denisa Upton, the LTWC animal care director.
Upton said Mari is the lighter of the two, but she will shove her brother out of the way to eat. LTWC started putting out two bowls so Posa could be assured of his food.
Donations are always accepted to help feed and keep the bears. Raley’s has helped with produce and at the time they don’t need any more until the cubs wean off the formula. To donate: https://ltwc.org/support/donate/.