A Manitoba bear rescue organization owner has revealed that three 10-week-old black bear cubs have been desperately calling for their mother ever since she was fatally shot near their den in the vicinity of Balmoral earlier this week. Judy Stearns, who is the president and owner of Black Bear Rescue Manitoba, expressed that the young cubs, comprising two females and a male, are visibly distressed and traumatized while under her care. According to Stearns, the male cub has been particularly vocal, continuously crying out for his mother and experiencing difficulty in eating.
The tragic incident, as per Manitoba conservation officials, occurred when the mother bear was unlawfully shot between 7:30 p.m. on March 30 and 1 p.m. on March 31. Conservation officers are actively investigating the matter, urging anyone with relevant information to contact Selkirk conservation officers at 204-785-5080 or the turn-in-poachers tip line at 1-800-782-0076. It is highlighted that in the province, it is illegal to kill a female black bear accompanied by cubs, as stated in the 2025 provincial hunting guide.
Stearns voiced her concerns that the mother bear’s fate could have been different had the den’s location not been disclosed on social media approximately two weeks prior. She emphasized her disappointment and anger arising from public posts revealing the bear and her den’s whereabouts, leading to potential disturbances. Stearns received numerous alerts from individuals worried about unauthorized visits to the den, which could disrupt the mother bear and her cubs.
Expressing her distress over the shooting, Stearns mentioned feeling a sense of inevitability upon hearing the news. She described the mother bear as vulnerable and defenseless while tending to her cubs in an exposed area, with the babies not yet capable of moving from the den. The owner of Black Bear Rescue Manitoba emphasized the importance of understanding black bears and dispelling misconceptions, highlighting the need for coexistence practices to avoid conflicts with these intelligent and shy animals.
The orphaned cubs are set to undergo Black Bear Rescue Manitoba’s program, where they will be nurtured and prepared for release back into the wild before the denning season. Efforts to obtain a comment from Natural Resources Minister Ian Bushie’s office by CBC News are ongoing.