Humans dressed as bears raise cub

A TINY black bear cub was crying alone in the California woods, his mother nowhere in sight.

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He was less than two months old and weighed about three pounds.

Campers in Los Padres National Forest found the baby bear on April 12 and the camp grounds host reported him to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Initially, biologists monitored the environment, with the hope that the cub's mother would return - but she did not. The cub couldn't survive on his own in the wild, so he was brought to San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center.

When he arrived, the cub was "extremely fragile," said Autumn Welch, wildlife operations manager at the centre. "After going several days without nutrition, it was touchand-go at first." Now, though, just over five weeks since he was rescued, the cub is thriving. He has gained nearly 10 pounds and has reached several developmental milestones including learning to climb. The cub is the youngest black bear cub San Diego Humane Society has cared for.

"I'm really proud of everyone here and what we've accomplished with this little cub," Welch said.

She and other staff at the wildlife centre have spent the past few weeks feeding the cub multiple times a day and sometimes overnight. They also engage him in targeted activities to ensure the cub is learning survival skills. The goal is to release him back into the wild in about a year.