Bear cub raised by humans dressed as bears

A TINY black bear cub was crying alone in the California woods, his mother nowhere in sight. He was less than two months old and weighed about three pounds.

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Campers in Los Padres National Forest found the baby bear last month 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 “fragile,” said Autumn Welch, wildlife operations manager at the centre “After going several days without nutrition, it was touch-and-go at first.”

Now, just over five weeks since he was rescued, the cub is thriving. He has gained nearly 4.5kg and has reached several developmental milestones — including learning to climb.