Group pull bear cubs from tree to take selfies. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission called to intervene

poor bears. the selfie group didn't put the cubs back in the trees. the cubs were confused and traumatized. Wildlife coudn't find all the cubs.



BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — A disturbing scene was caught on camera Tuesday afternoon: a group of people pulling bear cubs out of a tree near a Buncombe County apartment complex, all for a few selfies.

In a video shared with News 13, the group can be seen pulling the cubs from a tree, then holding one of the bears and taking a selfie. The person who took the video told News 13 she witnessed the incident at Berrington Village Apartments.

One of the individuals can then be seen in the video dropping the cub, followed by the cub running and trying to get back over the fence.

Ashley Hobbs, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission special projects biologist, said the video was reported to the commission on Tuesday evening. Authorities were called in to intervene.

https://wlos.com/news/local/unsafe-bear-cubs-human-interaction-pulled-from-tree-caught-on-camera-selfie-berrington-village-apartments-fairview-buncombe-county-north-carolina-wildlife-resources-commission-expert

“We did follow up with the people who pulled the bear out of the tree,” Hobbs told the outlet.

“We did confront them on site that day and let them know how irresponsible and potentially deadly it could be for that cub to be separated from its mom, especially ripped out of a tree like that.”

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With the cub being on its own for an unknown amount of time, now being separated from the others, and having humans take it from safety, the ordeal left the little critter shaken.

“We do think that the bear probably had a pretty traumatic experience,” Hobbs told the outlet.

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The cub was taken to a rehab facility for evaluation and will eventually be released back into the wild.

While no serious damage was done, she said the video is still baffling.

“It is frustrating to see people be that irresponsible around wildlife because it is a blessing that we get to live in the mountains around these creatures.”

https://nypost.com/2024/04/18/us-news/north-carolina-bear-cubs-snatched-out-of-tree-by-group-to-take-selfies-with-in-disturbing-clip/