Tamarack, Bear Cub Being Treated After Burning Paws in California Wildfire, Has Escaped Rescue Facility

A bear cub saved from a wildfire has escaped from the facility treating him for his burns. And now rescuers are desperate to get him back.  

Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care says six-month-old Tamarack escaped his enclosure and then tunneled under an electric fence to check himself out of his care facility.

They’re asking residents of the South Shore Lake Tahoe area to be on the lookout for him.  He’ll be noticeable by the bandages on all four of his paws. 

The Wildlife Care center rescued Tamarack from the Tamarack wildfire, which is blazing in California. Some residents reported seeing him walking around on his elbows near their home and called for help. 

Tamarack’s burns were treated, and he was bandaged up. Staff at the facility planned to monitor him to make sure his wounds healed properly and that he gained enough weight before releasing him back into the wild, which they planned to do in the spring. 

Rescuers say he is not a threat and is not in immediate danger, but they need him back to continue his care. They also advise people not to approach him as he is scared of people, and he may try to run or hide. 

Anyone who spots Tamarack is urged to call Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care at (530) 577-2273.

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