# State plans to destroy 2 orphaned bear cubs



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

This story has me PO'd. There was no mention of charges being filed against the logger now responsible for the deaths of the three cubs. Can someone let us know if this is still an open case?

State plans to destroy 2 orphaned bear cubs

Two black bear cubs once headed for a Lansing zoo will instead be euthanized, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the head of a wildlife rescue agency said Tuesday. 
During the course of a logging operation, a timber machine operator ran over a bear den, killing one cub and causing the mother to flee. The landowner and a consulting forester told the operator to leave the cubs where they were in hopes the mother would return to the den, officials said. 
But the machine operator took the cubs home with him at the end of the day, without informing the landowner or reporting it to the DNR. Eventually, the DNR heard about the bears and confiscated the cubs.	

http://www.freep.com/news/mich/nbear3_20040303.htm


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

WHy would they put down the cubs? If there is a bioligist out there who is studying bears they can put those cubs with any mother who is nursing. The park rangers in the Porkie Pine Mountains should be able to assist. Mother bears almost always accept orphaned bears. Their maternal instinct is as strong as any other animal. Or at worst I would think they would just let them go in the wild. I just don't get what putting them down would do. If they are going to die let them die in the wild and let circle of the food chain happen.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

I would rather see the cubs die than take a chance of introducing bovine TB in the UP. It's a shame this accident happened but it's a crime that the logger took the cubs home. Hopefully there's a happy ending.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Local TV-8 news Grand Rapids on 3/03/04 showed the cubs playing. They have been named Bonnie & Clyde. The comments were made that they may receive a repreive if homes can be found.


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

2 orphaned bear cubs are spared from death 

Orphaned bear cubs Bonnie and Clyde were granted a reprieve from Death Row on Wednesday amid a public outpouring of sympathy. 
"I got about 30 calls before 10:30 or 11 in the morning," said state Rep. Matt Gillard, D-Alpena, who is helping the state Department of Natural Resources find a home for the bears, whose plight was featured Wednesday in broadcasts and news articles, including in the Free Press. 
Gillard said the DNR was talking with an out-of-state zoo late Wednesday about taking the cubs, although he didn't know where.	

http://www.freep.com/news/mich/ebears4_20040304.htm


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## east bay ed (Dec 18, 2002)

how many bear actually have been found to have tb. this is getting pretty stupid now. 
good for matt that he was able to get involved. he actually made a trip to my shop last year to tell me face to face that he was going to support the dove bill. this even though he had his staff send me a e-mail telling me so.
i hope that the logger gets a ticket and someone is able to care for the bears.


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## Eastern Yooper (Nov 12, 2000)

It might be best for the bears that they be put down, rather than spending their entire lives in some zoo.....


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## WILDCATWICK (Mar 11, 2002)

Easier said than done....do you want to come to the LP and put them down with your gun?


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## Eastern Yooper (Nov 12, 2000)

Where is the L-P?


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## Big Game (Feb 7, 2002)

I was wondering what happened to the sow. The news up here didn't say anything about the logger or at least I didn't hear it. What would be the hard thing about testing them for TB? Are they any tests that can be done to determine if they have TB other than checking the lymph nodes (which I guess would require them to be dead)? What is wrong with contacting Dean Oswald up in the U.P. and relocating them at his pens? I would actually love to have a bear cub as a pet. But I doubt they would allow that.


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## Big Game (Feb 7, 2002)

Looks like the DNR are looking for a den in the north east part of northern Michigan to relocate the bears to. Has anybody heard if the logger ever got any fines or anything?


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## east bay ed (Dec 18, 2002)

the sow took off when the den was distroyed and once the logger took the two live cubs and left the dead cub they have not seen her since. my guess is she came back after everyone left only to find one dead cub and moved on. 
still no word as to if the logger got ticketed for taking the cubs, but i would assume he did.

the part about not being able to test the live bears for tb brings up a interesting question. they claim to be able to test cows, and now the dnr wants to go out and test deer for tb and tag them. if we have no test to confirm tb how are these animals tested?


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## Big Game (Feb 7, 2002)

Looks like they are on their way to Oswald's Bear Ranch. Good news.


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## maxemus (Jan 13, 2002)

I heard they were going to introduce them to a new mom and see if she will take them in.


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## Wurfel (Mar 9, 2004)

FYI, cubs are at Oswald's. 
Logger was cited for disturbing bear in den, and illegal possession of bear. 
Court appearance is slated for Friday a.m. in Atlanta. 
-wurfel


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Thanks, Brad, for the logger court information. That will make many folks feel better.

Bears given refuge in U.P.
No den found, but cubs end up at private ranch

NEWBERRY - The black bear cubs Bonnie and Clyde, who at one time faced euthanasia, have a new home in a private bear sanctuary in the Upper Peninsula.
State wildlife biologists unsuccessfully searched for a den in which to place the young bear cubs, so the cubs went to Oswald's Bear Ranch in Newberry.	

http://z1.adserver.com/w/cp.x;rid=1;tid=2;ev=1;dt=3;ac=14;c=98;


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