SMITHERS, British Columbia, July 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On Monday, July 13, Northern Lights Wildlife Society received confirmation that an orphaned grizzly cub had been spotted near Pink Mountain, approximately two hours north of Fort St. John.
We immediately prepared for the rescue. Angelika left the shelter that afternoon and travelled north to Right Choice Camp, where the cub had recently appeared.
Camp staff reported that the young grizzly had likely been alone in the area for approximately two weeks. Nobody had reported the cub until she approached the camp and its manager took action to get her help.
A Complicated and Dangerous Rescue
Rescuing the cub was not as simple as setting a trap.
A large black bear was also regularly visiting the area. A baited trap could provide the bear with an unwanted food reward, and its presence posed a very real threat to the much smaller grizzly cub.
Given the opportunity, the black bear could have killed her.
The cub disappeared before a safe capture could be made. For several days, there were no further sightings.
Then, on Saturday morning, July 18, she returned.
After confirming that the cub was nearby, the trap was quickly set. Within a short time, the young grizzly was safely captured.
Following the long journey south, she arrived at Northern Lights Wildlife Society safely.
Safe at NLWS
The cub is now being given several quiet days to settle into her new surroundings.
Once she has had time to adjust, she will be sedated for a complete intake examination. This will allow our team to assess her condition, identify any immediate medical needs and confirm her sex. At this point, we believe the cub is female.
Her rescue is only the beginning.
Providing an orphaned grizzly cub with specialized food, veterinary care, secure rehabilitation space and the preparation needed for eventual rewilding requires significant time and resources.
Your donation helps make this work possible → https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/10649
Thank you to the manager and staff at Right Choice Camp for recognizing that this cub needed help, reporting her and supporting the rescue effort.
We will share more about the Pink Mountain cub after her intake examination.
For more information, please contact:
250-877-1181
[email protected]
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4cb182f4-a43f-42d3-8342-6c7fed24f635
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c9729565-05aa-4334-b2b4-daf0aec52eef