Watch: 5 Orphaned Bear Cubs Survive Winter, Released In NorCal

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — Five orphaned black bear cubs with uncertain futures beat the odds by surviving their first winter alone in the wild, and emerged healthy this spring.

After spending months in rehabilitation, five orphaned black bear cubs returned to Northern California forests last fall, found dens, slept through winter, and reappeared this spring.

The cubs were part of a first-of-its-kind Califoria wildlife experiment.

The project marked the state's first test of releasing rehabilitated juvenile black bears in the fall rather than waiting until spring, a strategy already used successfully in states such as Nevada and Washington.

The bears included two female siblings rescued near Nevada City in Nevada County, one male cub rescued near South Lake Tahoe in El Dorado County, and two male siblings rescued near Arnold in Calaveras County.

All were rehabilitated primarily through the Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue before returning to suitable habitat near where they were originally found. A third Calaveras County sibling arrived in poor condition and was euthanized during rehabilitation.

Wildlife officials launched the effort to determine whether young bears could safely return to the wild sooner while reducing the time they spend in rehabilitation facilities.

Each bear received ear tags, a microchip, and a GPS collar so scientists could track survival and behavior.

Scientists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently reviewed GPS collar data showing that all five bears successfully established dens, hibernated through the winter, and emerged this spring in Northern California habitats where they had been released in November 2025.

CDFW's Wildlife Rehabilitation Program partnered with the department's Game Conservation Program, North Central Region staff, wildlife rehabilitators, veterinarians, and wildlife health specialists to carry out the releases.

“This is a massive win,” Heather Perry, CDFW Wildlife Rehabilitation Program Coordinator, said in a news release.

Perry said the bears spent their first winter hibernating naturally instead of remaining in rehabilitation facilities, reducing costs and limiting opportunities for the animals to become accustomed to people.

CDFW Environmental Scientist and Tahoe bear specialist Alexia Ronning said the outcome reinforces what wildlife professionals regularly observe about black bears' natural instincts.

“Bears are incredibly resilient,” Ronning said. “They have an innate behavior to find shelter when snow starts to accumulate on the ground.”

Officials say the successful trial could expand future options for rehabilitating orphaned cubs while supporting conservation goals and reducing human-wildlife conflicts.

Wildlife officials say preventing bears from accessing human food remains one of the most effective ways to reduce conflicts between people and bears across California.

CDFW continues year-round outreach through the Tahoe Interagency Bear Team and BearWise programs, urging residents and visitors to secure trash, remove food, and follow bear-safe practices.

This is one of several efforts to keep bear species in the wild. amid ranching, recreation, and climate change challenges.

California lawmakers are weighing whether grizzly bears could one day return to the state's wildlands under Senate Bill 1305, a measure introduced by Sen. Laura Richardson that would require the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop a public roadmap for a potential reintroduction by 2030.

The proposal, known as the Grizzly Bear Study Bill, would not authorize an immediate return of grizzlies. Instead, state wildlife officials would first have to determine that a self-sustaining grizzly population is biologically viable in California, consult with Native American tribes, evaluate ecological impacts, and establish measures to minimize risks to people, livestock, and property.

The bill is sponsored by the Tejon and Yurok tribes, whose histories and cultures are deeply tied to the grizzly bear.

Under the bill, the Department of Fish and Wildlife would submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by June 30, 2028. The measure has cleared the California Senate and is awaiting consideration in the Assembly.

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