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“Bugaboo Bears” released in Osceola
National Forest
June 19, 2007
Contact: Karen Parker (386) 758-0525
The saga of the two bears rescued during the
“Bugaboo” fire that swept through Columbia and Baker counties in
May has reached a happy ending.
A team of biologists and veterinarians from the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC),
Disney’s Animal Kingdom and University of Florida Veterinary
Medical Center (UF VMC) released two bears back into the Osceola
National Forest today.
The FWC
responded to reports of an injured bear with a cub in the
Osceola National Forest on Mother’s Day, May 13. The bears had
been caught up in the fire that raged through the forest.
The FWC bear capture team, along with help from
members of the Columbia County Fire Department, Columbia County
Public Works, The Forestry Company and MA Rigony in Perry,
rescued the two animals and took them to the UF VMC in
Gainesville. The sow suffered third-degree burns on all four
feet. The cub was dehydrated but untouched by the fire.
After receiving emergency medical
care at the UF VMC, the bears
were moved May 18 to Disney’s Animal Kingdom for medical
treatment and rehabilitation. The sow and her nursing cub were
held in special areas to prevent regular human contact. During
the past month, Disney’s Animal Kingdom veterinarians treated
the burns, changed her bandages regularly, and fed the bears a
natural diet that included berries, cabbage palm and fish to get
them ready for release into the wild.
“The black bear experienced significant trauma,
and we are very pleased with her recovery,” said Dr. Scott
Terrell, Walt Disney World Animal Programs. “The Disney team of
animal experts took great pride in rehabilitating these bears,
and we are grateful for the partnership between all the
institutions that made their treatment and release as natural as
possible.”
“She’s been a great mom,” said Matt Pollock,
regional biologist at the FWC’s Olustee Field Office. “She
nursed the cub the whole time she was in rehab, even when she
was in great pain.”
Pollock said, “We all worked together to make
this happen. This has been a great partnership between FWC, UF
and Disney. And I like the fact that we have a happy ending for
these two bears. We were able to release them within five miles
of the sow’s historical home range. They needed to get back
‘home’ and be wild again.” |
