The rescue of a black bear cub that was burned last week has been described by rescuers as a “Christmas miracle.”

On December 20, the Northern Lights Wildlife Society announced that it had received a call about the cub’s critical condition near Dawson Creek in northeastern British Columbia, and a volunteer was dispatched to the scene. He found the bear in the snow and under a tree.

Given the extreme cold in the area and the distance to the organization’s headquarters in Smithers, the cub’s chances of survival seemed slim. However, volunteers were able to transport the cub first to Prince George and then to Smithers, keeping it warm in a crate along the way.

What did the rescuers say?
In a Christmas update, Angelica Langen, the organization’s director and co-founder, said that the cub “suffered a lot” and that its survival was “truly a Christmas miracle.”

“We thought it might have been frostbite, but it turned out it was burned. We believe the cub was hibernating and the branch pile it was hiding in caught fire. The fire severely burned some of its fur, face and front paws,” he explained.

However, Langen assured the cub would survive and thanked the public for their messages of support.

More details

The cub was first spotted in the middle of Dawson Creek Road and was led under a tree by residents.

The fire does not appear to have been intentional; bears commonly make their dens in branch piles, and sometimes these branches are burned to clear the forest.

The cub was likely born in January and weighed about 19.9 kilograms (44 pounds), which is a small amount for a heavy hibernator.
It is not yet known whether the cub's mother was with him, but it is likely that she was.
Legal Actions and Recommendations

Under British Columbia law, anyone attempting to light a Class 3 fire (which includes burning branches and wood residue after logging) must register it and coordinate with local authorities.
The Fur-Bearers organization has called for an investigation into the incident, warning that burning these storage facilities without checking for animals could have catastrophic consequences.
The cub is currently undergoing treatment and faces a long recovery. The cub is one of three groups in the province licensed to raise orphaned bear cubs and is the only organization licensed to rehabilitate and release grizzly bear cubs.

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