LYNNWOOD — Two bear cubs captured near Snoqualmie were safe and resting after dinner at the PAWS Wildlife Center in Lynnwood on Tuesday.
The two orphaned cubs, a male and a female, were brought to the center Tuesday afternoon, PAWS spokeswoman Mary Schilder said.
The pair was captured by state Department of Fish and Wildlife officers at a campsite in the Snoqualmie area.
Schilder said the cubs’ mother died after being hit by a car, but they were able to survive on food left behind by campers.
A quick medical exam determined the bears are in good health, said Jennifer Convy, the center’s director.
She said the female has a ruptured ear drum, but the injury is expected to fully heal.
The bears will stay at the center until they recover and grow enough to be able to live on their own, Convy said.
She said it’s hard to say when exactly the bears will return to the wild. It will depend on the weather, the location where they were found and their physical condition.
Most importantly, the cubs are now safe — even though they are scared. They had a proper meal and were recovering from the hurdles of the day Tuesday evening, Convy said.
“They definitely find comfort in one another,” Convy said.
The siblings are less than a year old, Convy said. The female is about 25 pounds and the male weighs about 40 pounds.
Convy said more than 50 bears have gone through the center in its history.
Reporter Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452 or kyefimova@heraldnet.com.
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