When Powell River Orphaned Wildlife Society (PROWLS) founder Merrilee Prior received a telephone call about an orphaned bear cub spotted in Westview, she didn't imagine that a few weeks later the cub would be boarding a Pacific Coastal Airlines flight to Vancouver.
Prior posted a message on PROWLS’ social media page about the bear in flight: "If you were on the Pacific Coastal flight from Powell River to Vancouver yesterday afternoon [mid-October], you might be surprised to know that bears do indeed fly, and there was one on your flight. How did a very nervous, small, male, black bear cub actually end up on that flight you may wonder."
The Peak contacted Prior for some details about how and why the bear cub was flown from the qathet region to Vancouver.
"Several people had called me [about the cub] and I referred them to Critter Care [Wildlife Society]," said Prior. "It's a real process for bears; it's all about permits."
Meaning, when Prior receives a call about an injured eagle or raven, she and/or volunteers can capture the bird themselves, but with bears, the BC provincial biologist has to give permission to an organization such as Critter Care to transport/hold a bear.
"Conservation had to get involved because they were the ones who could trap it, but the conservation officer had trouble finding it," said Prior. "The bear was spotted between Fairmont and Gerrard streets; he [the cub] was in the backyards. There's a creek there and he was seen mostly eating nuts and fruit from a tree."
Prior said eventually one of the concerned residents saw the bear six feet up a tree, on a branch, and called the conservation officer. The bear had to be tranquilized because the live bear trap was broken by an adult bear trying to get the bait inside, recalled Prior.
"After that he [conservation officer] brought it to me, and I arranged for its transfer to Critter Care," said Prior. "I have the wildlife rehabilitation permit and I arranged with Pacific Coastal Airlines to fly the bear to Vancouver."
The cub was offered a secure, warm, quiet environment for the night, and very much enjoyed some apples in the morning, Prior wrote on the PROWLS’ social media page. "Sort of a PROWLS B&B&B (Bear and Bed and Breakfast), then it was off to the airport for check-in.”
Prior said the airline has always been willing to help PROWLS with transporting birds and other animals throughout the years, but this may have been the first bear cub in its transport hold.
"The cub went to the Vancouver Airport and from there, Critter Care picked it up and took it to Langley," said Prior. "They'll keep it over the winter, and the cub will get nice and fat and hibernate; it's there with probably 25 other bear cubs."
Prior said it's unfortunate for the cub to lose its mother, but that it is alive and that's a good thing.
"I'm glad the cub didn't starve to death, because they don't know how to hibernate," said Prior. "The cub doesn't know where to go, doesn't know what to do and it would most likely die."
The concerned residents who kept an eye on the lone cub waited a couple weeks to call PROWLS, just in case the mother returned.
"Bears are great moms, they take their cubs with them everywhere, and they teach them as they go," said Prior. "That means the mum probably died."
The good news, said Prior, is that the cub will be released back into the wild strong and healthy, and it will be a year old.
"It is always a warm welcome from Pacific Coastal staff when we arrive at the airport to check-in our mysterious crates," said Prior. "They are always interested, respectful and so genuinely kind and caring in handling the crates. We are incredibly thankful for their never-wavering support. The cub arrived safely in Vancouver and was transferred to Critter Care."
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