Orphaned Monrovia bear cubs on path back to wild after state euthanized their mom

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When state wildlife officials euthanized “Blondie” the bear over the objections of local elected leaders in March, it was unclear if her two orphaned bear cubs would ever be able to live in the wild again.The tiny furry creatures weighed just 5.8 and 7.6 pounds.

They required spoon-feedings four times a day.And they could not be allowed to recognize humans, as this would hinder their development of survival skills.

But now the 4-month-old brothers have reached a promising stage in their journey toward independence, successfully transitioning into an outdoor habitat and starting to feed independently at the San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.“Moving outside is a big step,” said Autumn Welch, wildlife operations manager at the Humane Society, in a statement Tuesday.“The cubs are gaining confidence, exploring and learning the skills they’ll need to survive on their own.”The San Diego Humane Society is doing everything it can to mimic how the bears would grow up in the wild.

Staff started out by wearing bear masks and animal furs, then crawling into the enclosure to spoon-feed the cubs formula.Now the cubs are feasting on solid foods and love fruits and leaves from native plants, and they’ll continue exploring the larger outdoor area as they grow more confident.

This news is welcome for the Angelenos who were devastated when the Department of Fish and Wildlife made the decision to kill Blondie, their mother, in March following two incidents where she swiped at local residents.The swiftness with which Blondie was killed and the seeming lack of consideration for the fate of her offspring sparked outrage as, typically, cubs would remain close to their mother for the first 18 months of their life.

“The city was not a part of that conversation or decision [to euthanize],” Monrovia Mayor Becky Shevlin said in March.“We were absolutely devastated,...