PART 1 - The Rescue

On August 27, Northern Lights Wildlife Society received a call about a sow that had been shot in the Kispiox area as a result of human-wildlife conflict. Two young cubs were reported to still be present.

Conservation Officers confirmed that the animals were cubs of the year, and NLWS was given permission to capture them.

When the rescue team arrived, both cubs were high in a cottonwood tree. The team observed them for several hours, hoping for an opportunity to safely tranquilize and recover them. When that was not possible, traps were set in the area instead.

On August 28, the team returned to the site and set an additional trap. They also walked the perimeter and nearby trails looking for signs of the cubs, but were unable to locate them.

There are still clear signs that the cubs have been in the area, including disturbed brush and activity on the ground, so there is good reason to believe they are still nearby.

For now, this rescue has become a waiting game.

Young cubs can move through dense cover and remain difficult to spot, especially when frightened and without their mother. The traps will remain part of the effort, and the team will continue monitoring the area in the hope that the cubs return.

Some wildlife rescues happen quickly. Others require patience, repeated visits and adapting the plan as the animals move through the landscape.

The goal remains the same: to safely bring both cubs into care and give them the opportunity to grow, rehabilitate and eventually return to the wild.

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