Bear cub that broke into home through cat door now in care of Vancouver Island wildlife rehab

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A bear cub was taken into the care of the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre Tuesday, June 14, 2022.

A bear cub that snuck into a Campbell River home through a cat door has been taken into the care of the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre.

A BC Conservation officer was called Tuesday after the little cub ended up in a home with its mother nowhere in sight.

The officer contacted NIWRC and brought down the little cub, which they said had no history of habituation.

“We’ve been doing this for 30 years and I’ve done hundreds and hundreds of bears and this is the first one that went through the cat door,” said NIWRC founder and operations manager Robin Campbell.

The cub, which weighs just under 14 pounds, is “doing very good” at the centre, he said.

“It’s as wild as can be. It does everything you want from a wild bear.”

He said the cub is expected to be released sometime next year, once it reaches about 150 pounds.

It is one of two new arrivals that have staff excited. The other is a nearly completely white raven chick.

“These are the sacred white ravens of Oceanside. Most people have heard of them,” said NIWRC Animal Care worker Derek Downes.

When the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre first admitted one rare white-coloured raven chick last year, they thought it was one in a million but now lightning has struck twice.

“It’s incredible, such an amazing creature,” said NIWRC Animal Care worker Trisha Steinbach.

“Another leucistic raven and so it came from the same spot that our other one came from. This one actually came in, in far worse condition,” said Downes.

A leucistic raven, hatched this spring was brought in near death after being found near Errington. Nearly white, it has blue eyes, so isn’t considered an albino, but experts say its chances in the wild were zero. AT NIWRA, the friendly feathered patient is springing back to life, and joining Blizzard, the leucistic raven who was saved last year.

“This is going to be a beautiful way to give back to the community,” said Downes.

The non-profit centre relies on public donations and is asking for help in the form of blankets, sardines and fresh eggs. Anyone interested in donating is asked to drop items off at the centre or visit its website for more information.

Skye Ryan

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