1. Idaho
Black Bear
Rehab, Inc.
(IBBR)
Idaho Black Bear Rehab, Inc.
6097 Arney Lane
Garden City, Idaho 83714, USA
www.bearrehab.org
Mission
To give all orphaned cubs a second chance at a life of
freedom in the wild by:
• Rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing orphaned
cubs whenever possible.
• Instituting bear rehabilitation programs and training
rehabilitators in states where the option currently
does not exist.
• Working with state wildlife agencies to establish
black bear rehabilitation as a standard part of their
wildlife management policies.
• Educating the public about black bear rehabilitation
and our shared responsibility to protect wild bears
and their habitat.
Idaho Black Bear Rehabilitation,Inc. is a
not-for-profit charity with 501 (c)(3) status. All
contributions are tax-deductible.
IBBR depends on the generosity of the general
public and the local community.
Won’t you please consider a cash donation
to help with the care of the cubs?
Visit www.bearrehab.org, or mail your donation
to IBBR, 6097 Arney Lane, Garden City, Idaho
83714.
How You Can Help
Orphaned Cubs
Many bears cubs
become orphans
when their mothers
are killed during spring bear hunts. Others have
become injured in accidents or abandoned by their
mothers for unknown reasons. Without intervention,
many of these bears face certain death from
starvation, predation, or euthanasia.
Rehabilitation of bears can never take a “one size fits
all” approach. Besides providing for a variety of
physical needs, such as those facing newborns,
malnourished, injured, or cubs fighting disease,
support for emotional trauma, or inquisitive and active
minds, care must be customized for each and every
cub. IBBR is well known for adapting rehabilitation
techniques and facilities to fit the needs of individual
bears.
Rehabilitation of bear cubs has a positive impact on
the public perception of wildlife management
practices. Stories of individual cubs can be used to
build public understanding and support for biodiversity,
habitat protection and positive human-wildlife
interactions. Methodology used for American black
bear rehabilitation and release can be applied and
adapted to programs working with threatened and
endangered species of bear around the world.

2. Common Myths About Bears
and Bear Rehabilitation
Programs
MYTH Orphaned black bear cubs can’t be rehabilitated and
released back into the wild, as they will die, or become
“problem bears.”
Orphaned and injured cubs can be successfully rehabilitated and
released. IBBR has successfully rehabilitated and released the
majority of cubs which have entered the rehabilitation program. To
date, over 97% of IBBR cubs are considered successfully released,
as they sustained themselves and did not become involved in a
“nuisance” situation during the first month post release.
MYTH A “successful release” of a rehabilitated bear cub is a
cub which is never a “problem bear,” and never gets hunted.
Research has shown that approximately 2% of the wild bear
populations may become involved in “problem” situations with
humans. All bears, including cubs from a rehabilitation program,
face the same impacts from human activity, including hunting.
Best practice standards have defined the successful release of a
rehabilitated cub as a bear which demonstrated the ability to sustain
itself in the natural environment for > 1 month. In addition, a
successful release has been defined as a bear cub which has not been
involved in a “nuisance” situation for 1 month to 1 year post release
(varies per wildlife agency).
MYTH Orphaned black bear cubs in a rehabilitation program
will become habituated to humans. Usually when this term is
used it is meant to imply that the bears are attracted to
humans for food and other needs.
“Habituation is a waning response to a repeated, neutral stimulus.
(Thorpe 1956, Whitaker and Knight 1998, Gilbert 1989, Smith et al.
2005. Herrero et al. 2005, Stringham 2009). Bears that are fully
habituated to humans ignore them. (Whitaker and Knight 1998).” As
cited by Rogers et al., Human-Wildlife Interactions 5(2): 173-176,
Fall 2011. Thus, habituated bears would not necessarily be attracted
to humans for food and other needs.
The Organization
Idaho Black Bear Rehab, Inc. (IBBR) is a not-for-profit
501(c)(3) organization dedicated to saving orphaned
and injured bear cubs by utilizing proven scientific
methods for successful rehabilitation and release back
into the wild.
IBBR provides high standards of cub care, veterinary
treatment, and data monitored follow-up after release.
IBBR does not
rehabilitate bears to
be placed in zoos,
sanctuaries, or
research facilities.
History
In 1989, very few
states were involved
in bear cub
rehabilitation, and
fewer still had
programs designed to prepare bears for life in the wild.
For over twenty years, working closely with state,
national, and worldwide bear experts, Idaho Black Bear
Rehab, Inc. (IBBR) has developed a successful
rehabilitation program for the American Black Bear.
(Ursus Americanus).
A
MYTH Habituated bears = problem bears.
“Habituation is a normal response to people in bears’ human-
inhabited environments, and habituated bears have not shown
themselves to be a greater threat to public safety than non-
habituated bears.” (Rogers, Human-Wildlife Interactions 5(2): 287-
295, Fall 2011).
MYTH Bears that wander into inhabited areas such as
campsites, or towns are dangerous. It is often necessary, if
unfortunate to kill these bears.
In many locations it is nearly impossible for a bear to make its daily
excursions looking for food without walking through someone’s
property, or a campground in the mountains. A bear in an inhabited
area could be simply passing through. If this behavior is reoccurring,
this generally means something is attracting the bear. “Food
conditioning occurs when a bear learns that certain locations,
situations, or humans, may provide food.” (Rogers, Human-Wildlife
Interactions 5(2): 287-295, Fall 2011). Remove the attraction and
the bear will most likely go away. It may also be possible to
successfully relocate the bear.
MYTH The size or location of the rehabilitation facility is
directly correlated to the successful release of orphaned or
injured black bear cubs.
Rehabilitation programs should be “outcome” focused. Factors
shown to be critical to the success of black bear rehabilitation
include: the opportunity to socialize with other cubs during
rehabilitation, good body weight and condition at release, release
into areas which include sustainable bear habitat and low potential
for human interaction during the first 30 days post release.
MYTH Good candidates for a bear rehabilitation program
must exhibit a “fear” of humans.
“The expression of natural behaviors, such as fear or avoidance of
people, will vary depending on the age of the cub and its
experience prior to arriving at the facility. In the case of very
young cubs that have not traveled with their mothers outside the
maternal den, the expression of fear or avoidance, will be absent...
Reducing the level of human contact, after weaning may be
sufficient for most to be released.” (2007 International Workshop on
the Rehabilitation, Release, and Monitoring of Orphaned Bear
Cubs).