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Lost Bear Cub Brought to Poconos

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP — A bear cub that got separated from his mom near Harrisburg is now getting some TLC here in the Poconos. Behind lock and key, this baby...

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP -- A bear cub that got separated from his mom near Harrisburg is now getting some TLC here in the Poconos.

Behind lock and key, this baby bear is quite a long way from home. A game commission officer brought him to the Poconos from the Harrisburg area where the eight-pound ball of fur was found wandering, all alone.

"He's not an orphan, he's not abandoned, he's what we'd call displaced," said Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center Director Kathy Uhler.

Uhler is taking care of the cub at the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center near Stroudsburg, while the game commission works on the tough part: finding momma bear.

They believe she's somewhere near a shopping center in Dauphin County where the cub was picked up and cared for last week.

"Those officers are diligently working to set traps, to get mom in their possession, and once we do that, we can reunite this little guy with her," said Wildlife Conservation Officer Bryan Mowrer.

While this baby bear waits, Uhler says he's rather lonely.

The only interaction this bear cub will see is when he gets his daily grub.

"It's a very sad thing that he's lonely, but at least at this age he knows he's a bear, and he knows that I'm not and we need to maintain that barrier," said Uhler.

Until this bear is hopefully reunited with his mom, he'll be drinking a lot of formula, along with eating some fruit, nuts, and insects. One canister of this costs $150 and will only last about two weeks.

"We want to put the time in but we do need the financial help to buy the formula which is very expensive, and it's made specifically for bears," said Uhler.

If mom isn't found, the game commission will release the cub in August when he's old enough and strong enough to fend for himself.

As for a name for this cub, well, he doesn't really have one.

"Best thing for wildlife is to keep it wild, and the least attachment you can get to them is the best, so bear cub is bear cub," said Mowrer.

Officers also want to warn that if you see a bear or other animal alone, leave it alone and call the game commission.

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