WAYNESBORO -- One of two bear cubs rescued Monday after its mother was struck and killed by a car has died.
"The other cub appears to be fine this morning; there's evidence of it eating," Center spokeswoman Amanda Nicholson told WVEC.com.
The two were orphaned Monday morning when a vehicle struck the mother bear on Route 58. The mother bear was killed and the two cubs scurried into a tree in the median.
Both male bear cubs were taken to the Wildlife Center of Virginia.
On Thursday, staff at the center announced they had found the bear dead in its enclosure. They say it was the smaller, quieter one of the siblings.
Both bears were shot with tranquilizers on Monday as crews tried to get them down from the tree.
The veterinary team does not know why the cub died. The Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study at the University of Georgia will perform a necropsy. The results may take several weeks.
Center officials will continue to monitor the cub.
