The American black bear cub rescued by Greenfield police officers after its family was killed by a vehicle on Route 2 in April is reportedly faring well, and the nonprofit organization caring for the animal plans to release her into the wild in early June.
Alma resides with about 45 other cubs in an 11-acre forested enclosure at the Kilham Bear Center in New Hampshire and weighs 55 to 60 pounds, according to Ethan Kilham, the bears’ primary caregiver.
“They’re hanging out, putting on weight and getting ready for winter,” he said.
Kilham explained Alma is expected to be released “in a wilderness tract of land someplace … as far away from human density as possible” when she is roughly 18 months old, the same age cubs typically are when their mother sends them off to fend for themselves.
“She’ll do perfectly fine,” he said.
On April 8 at 8:43 p.m., Greenfield police officers responded to Route 2 for a report of a mother bear and two cubs killed after being struck by a car. Officers arrived and heard squealing before finding a frightened third cub taking refuge in a tree. Understanding the danger the cub was in, Officers Brandon Lagoy and Justin Purinton used a stick to pry one of its paws off the tree, coaxing it to descend. The two placed the cub in the back of a cruiser and brought it to the Police Station, where AMR Ambulance provided a kennel to keep the animal safe.
The following morning, Massachusetts Environmental Police officers took the animal to the Tufts Wildlife Clinic in North Grafton, where veterinarians determined the cub was in good physical condition and had no injuries. The cub was then brought to the Kilham Bear Center.
This week, Deputy Police Chief William Gordon said “it warms the heart” to hear Alma is doing well. He also reiterated his previous praise of his officers’ compassion.
“It is a credit to our officers and the compassion that they have every single day. Very rarely do police officers and first responders get to see the results of their actions,” he said. “The guys just did what they thought was appropriate at the time.”
Kilham said Alma will likely grow to between 110 and 130 pounds.
“Whether or not she carries some of the trauma, it’s hard to tell, but she’s certainly happy and a well-adjusted bear, and she’ll do well when she’s released,” he said.
Kilham explained his family’s facility has taken in 71 cubs this year. This figure includes 27 within the past 29 days, with the newest one arriving about a half-hour before Kilham spoke with a reporter for this story at around 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
He said this has been a difficult year for bears, as the drought decimated berries and other crops. At this point in the year, there is virtually nothing for bears to eat in the woods, forcing sows (female bears) to travel farther to find food for themselves and their cubs. This travel makes them more susceptible to vehicle accidents and to hunting season by wandering into bait sites and residential neighborhoods.
More information about the Kilham Bear Center is available online at kilhambearcenter.org. The website includes a way to make tax-deductible donations and provides information about purchasing books and DVDs, with proceeds benefiting the bears under the facility’s care. Donations can also be mailed to: The Kilham Bear Center, C/O Ben Kilham, PO Box 37, Lyme, NH 03768.