Three 10-week old black bear cubs are currently under the care of Judy Stearns, the president and owner of Black Bear Rescue Manitoba, after their mother was fatally shot near their den in northern Balmoral. The cubs, comprising two females and a male, have been displaying signs of distress and trauma, with the male cub particularly vocal in his calls for his mother and struggling with eating.
Authorities in Manitoba reported that the mother bear was unlawfully shot between the evening of March 30 and the afternoon of March 31. Conservation officers are actively investigating the incident and are appealing to the public for any information regarding the shooter. Killing a female black bear with cubs is illegal in the province, as stated in the 2025 provincial hunting guide.
Stearns expressed regret that the mother bear’s den location was shared on social media, attributing it to the unfortunate outcome. She highlighted that the mother bear could have been spared if her whereabouts were not disclosed online, as it led to potential disturbances by individuals visiting the den for photographs, ultimately resulting in the tragic incident.
Stearns emphasized the vulnerability of the mother bear, who was peacefully nursing her cubs in an exposed area while they were still too young to venture out on their own. She condemned the act, citing the risks the orphaned cubs now face, including predator attacks and starvation in the absence of their mother’s care.
Regarding human-bear interactions, Stearns noted the misconceptions surrounding black bears, describing them as intelligent and typically avoiding human contact. She emphasized the importance of not approaching or feeding black bears to prevent conflicts, urging the removal of food sources from areas populated by bears to deter their presence.
The rescued cubs are currently in the care of Black Bear Rescue Manitoba, where they will undergo a rehabilitation program before being released back into the wild before denning season in the fall. Efforts to reach out to Natural Resources Minister Ian Bushie’s office for comment by CBC News are ongoing.