WAUSAU, Wis. (WFRV) – It was a shocking Wednesday recently for law enforcement in central Wisconsin when deputies worked to rescue a bear cub after its mother was hit and killed by a vehicle on a State Highway.
The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office posted about the rescue on Facebook, stating that on May 7, around 1:25 a.m., deputies got a ‘shocking’ report from the Wausau Police Department about a bear cub that was alone near State Highway 29, just west of Wausau.
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Deputies say that the cub’s mother had recently been hit by a driver and suffered fatal injuries. Both agencies then worked together to rescue the cub.
Marathon County Sheriff’s Office
Law enforcement reportedly contacted a Rhinelander nonprofit, Wild Instincts, which arrived within hours and took in the bear cub in hopes that it can be nursed back to health to be released back into the wild.
On May 12, Wild Instincts reported that the cub is doing well and “is already strong enough to spend time in an outdoor enclosure.”
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The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind everyone not to approach or handle any young wildlife, even if you are unable to see their parents. Many species, like deer, have their young bed down during the day while the parents go off to feed. The parents then return to their young when it is safe to do so periodically. If you believe an animal is in distress, please look for signs of dehydration, weakness, and/or hypothermia. If you see an animal displaying symptoms of any of these conditions, and it has not moved on in a reasonable amount of time (varies by species) please call the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number at 715-261-1200.
Marathon County Sheriff’s Office
No additional details were provided.
