23 human-wildlife encounters ranging from heartwarming to hazardous
These encounters between humans and wildlife reveal both heartwarming and hazardous moments. The stories include the rescue of bear cubs left orphaned by a construction mishap and the capture of a moose-chasing grizzly at a Montana campsite where a bear once killed a camper.
NO. 1: CONSTRUCTION CREW FINDS ABANDONED BEAR CUBS AFTER DEN IS ‘DESTROYED.’ SEE FURRY ORPHANS
The babies were each as big as a “large potato,” a Virginia wildlife center said. They’re looking for a foster mom. | Published February 16, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 2: ORPHANED BEAR CUBS FOUND WANDERING ALONE. NOW THEY GET SECOND CHANCE AT ZOO, VIDEO SHOWS
“As orphans, they’ve had to figure a lot of things out on their own,” the Oregon Zoo said. | Published March 12, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 3: ‘FLOCK OF BEARS’ INVESTIGATES WATER BOWL OUTSIDE FLORIDA HOME. SEE THEM SNOOP
“There is nowhere else that I would rather live!” the homeowner said. | Published March 14, 2024 | Read Full Story by Irene Wright
NO. 4: HIKER HEARS CRIES IN VERMONT WOODS — AND FINDS ADORABLE BEAR CUB WITH NO MOM IN SIGHT
Vermont wildlife officials said they estimate the cub was alone “for a while.” | Published March 20, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 5: EXCAVATOR OPERATOR COLLAPSES BEAR DEN IN NEW YORK — AND ENDS UP WITH A TINY STOWAWAY
“Many thanks to the farmer for doing the right thing.” | Published April 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger
NO. 6: ‘CURIOUS’ COUGAR AND HER ‘SHY’ BROTHER GET SECOND CHANCE AT NC ZOO. SEE THE CUTE CUBS
The cubs were found orphaned about 2,500 miles away in Washington. | Published April 5, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 7: BEAR CUB WAS PLAYING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO TRAFFIC. THEN MINNESOTA DEPUTY STEPPED IN
Reminder: don’t leave your trash just chilling around outside, bears will love it a little too much. | Published April 8, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 8: KITE SURFER SHOCKED WHEN OCEAN CREATURE LEAPS FROM WAVES. AUSTRALIA VIDEO SHOWS NEAR-MISS
“He was trying to show you up,” one person on TikTok said. | Published April 8, 2024 | Read Full Story by Irene Wright
NO. 9: TRAPPED MOUNTAIN LION CUBS RESCUED JUST BEFORE COLORADO DAM RELEASES TORRENT OF WATER
Photos and video show the daring rescue. | Published April 23, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger
NO. 10: BEAR CUB YANKED FROM NC TREE FOR PHOTOS IS NOW ‘THRIVING.’ WHAT’S NEXT FOR HER?
The baby bear was found “wet and shivering” after the moments caught on video, officials said. | Published May 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by Simone Jasper
NO. 11: MAN IGNORES FRESH GRIZZLY TRACK AND FACES ANGRY MOTHER BEAR, MONTANA OFFICIALS SAY
He went against several bear safety best practices while hunting for shed antlers in grizzly country, officials say. | Published May 3, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger
NO. 12: BEAR CUB CAUGHT IN WIRE FENCING CRIES AS CO OFFICERS TRY TO FREE IT. SEE THE RESCUE
The mom bear couldn’t help her cub out of the “gnarly” fencing, wildlife officials said. | Published June 3, 2024 | Read Full Story by Helena Wegner
NO. 13: BEAR TAKES A DIP IN RESERVOIR AT COLORADO STATE PARK. WATCH IT DO THE ‘BEAR STROKE’
The animal was swimming near a dam. | Published June 5, 2024 | Read Full Story by Helena Wegner
NO. 14: BEAR REFUSES TO LEAVE THE CHARLOTTE AREA, STUMPING WILDLIFE OFFICERS
People spotted the black bear in Denver, N.C., and then across Lake Norman in Cornelius. | Published June 7, 2024 | Read Full Story by Joe Marusak
NO. 15: ‘AMBITIOUS’ VISITOR TRIES SAVING LONELY BABY DEER, GEORGIA PARK SAYS. THAT’S A PROBLEM
Park rangers issued a reminder for visitors. | Published June 12, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 16: GRIZZLY WITH FIVE CUBS SPOTTED AT YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, VIDEO SHOWS. ‘WHAT A FIND’
“Seeing a grizzly with 5 cubs is (a) once in a lifetime event.” | Published June 13, 2024 | Read Full Story by Don Sweeney
NO. 17: CHILLING VIDEO SHOWS GRIZZLY CHASE MOOSE AT MONTANA CAMPSITE WHERE BEAR KILLED CAMPER
“On the other side of the campground I saw the dark shape of a moose in the trees, so I moved closer to capture it with my camera. Turns out I wasn’t the only one watching the moose….” | Published June 18, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger
NO. 18: ‘LOUD HUFFING AND MOANING’ UNDER COLORADO FAMILY’S DECK LEADS TO DISCOVERY OF A ‘GIANT’
Wildlife officers estimated the huge creature weighed about 400 pounds — and enlisted the help of bystanders to lift it. | Published July 2, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger
NO. 19: FURRY BEAST WON’T BUDGE FROM SPOT UNDER COLORADO HONEYCOMB VENDOR. SEE THE PREDICAMENT
An “uninvited guest” crashed Colorado’s Ren Fest — and refused to leave The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office posted photos of the sticky situation to its social media accounts on Tuesday, July 9. | Published July 9, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 20: ORPHANED BABY BEAR HANGS OUT IN TREE AT COLORADO ZOO, PHOTOS SHOW. ‘SMART LITTLE CUB’
Visitors spotted a “little But the cub’s mom was never around, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo said on Facebook. | Published July 12, 2024 | Read Full Story
NO. 21: MAMA BEAR THAT GOT TOO CLOSE TO PEOPLE KILLED IN MONTANA. WHAT HAPPENS TO HER CUBS?
“Once a bear has become food-conditioned, hazing and aversive conditioning are unlikely to be successful in reversing this type of behavior.” | Published July 12, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger
NO. 22: BEAR GETS STRESSED OUT BY SELFIE-TAKERS, FLORIDA COPS SAY. ‘CLEARLY NOT IN THE MOOD’
The bear may have been overcome by heat, experts say. | Published July 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Mark Price
NO. 23: GRIZZLY SHOT IN RIVER AFTER BREAKING INTO MULTIPLE HOMES IN MONTANA, OFFICIALS SAY
The bear was “terrorizing” residents near Yellowstone National Park for almost two months. | Published July 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.