Orphaned cub finds comfort in a teddy bear and costumed caregivers

Autumn Welch dons a fur coat, leather gloves, and a bear mask for work these days, then enters an enclosure to feed and fawn over a 12-pound (5.4 kg) black bear cub who she hopes will consider her family.

- By CHRISTOPHER WEBER

The orphaned cub was about two months old when he was found April 12 in Southern California's Los Padres National Forest — weak, underweight, and alone. Since then, the baby bear has been cared for by Welch's team with the San Diego Humane Society in sessions that mimic familial behaviors. The hope is to eventually return the cub to the wild.

The bear costume is meant to stop the rescued cub from bonding with humans. The fur coats are stored in bins with hay scented by black bears. The team went through a few masks before finding one that fit properly.

“Mama” is a giant stuffed teddy bear propped up in the corner of a pen at the humane society's 13-acre (5-hectare) Ramona Wildlife Center near San Diego. That's where the cub turns when he's spooked or just wants to snuggle up for a nap, said Welch, the wildlife operations manager.