RICHMOND – A necropsy shows a bear cub from Suffolk that died a day after its mother was hit by car and killed had a perforated small intestine, officials told WVEC.com.
The orphaned cubs were hit with tranquilizer darts after they scampered up a tree to safety on Oct 17 after their mother was struck as they crossed Route 58.
State wildlife officials determined that darting was the most appropriate method to recover them because it was rush hour and the tree was in the median of the four-lane highway.
Once they were recovered, the cubs were transported to the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro.
The cub died during the night.
The second cub is being cared for with hopes of releasing him to the wild.
Meantime, you can check in on the cub with the center’s critter cam.
“With continued improvements in our technology, we’re now able to show two sites here. We’re periodically switching between the bear enclosure and the Great Horned Owl area,” said Randy Huwa, spokesman for the Wildlife Center of Virginia.
The Center continues to work with Buddy, an eagle removed from Norfolk Botanical Garden in 2008 because it had developed a pox on its beak.
Employees continue to work with him so he can become an education animal.
Recently, Buddy revealed a talent for painting, creating his first piece by walking and hopping across a palette of non-toxic, washable paints onto a large sheet of paper.
