x
Breaking News
More () »

Carr Fire bear kicking back in hammock as her burned paws heal

Wildlife officials are optimistic about the healing process so far for a bear burned in the Carr Fire.
Credit: CDFW photo by Travis VanZant
The bear badly burned in the Carr Fire awaits treatment.

The Whiskeytown bear whose paws were severely burned in the Carr Fire is healing quickly and walking around as best she can.

The 1-year-old bruin also is liking the comfort of a hammock that's hanging in a covered holding facility on California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) property in Rancho Cordova, agency spokeswoman Kirsten Macintyre said Tuesday.

"She seems to be using and enjoying the hammock," she said.

Otherwise, the bear is doing "great," Macintyre said.

Since the news broke last week of the bear's rescue, her story has appeared elsewhere on the USA TODAY NETWORK and gained international attention.

"The furthest away was a newspaper in Oslo, Norway, I think. We talked to the BBC too, and many New York-based media outlets," Macintyre said.

She said the CDFW staff may take new photos and video of their patient in the next day or so.

Credit: Travis VanZant/CDFW
Corn husks were fastened to the Carr Fire bear's paws as an extra layer of protection after Dr. Jamie Peyton attached tilapia skin patches last week.

A utility crew working inside Whiskeytown National Recreation Area discovered the ailing animal Aug. 2 and alerted wildlife officials.

Later that same day, a four-member CDFW team hiked to her spot beside Crystal Creek as the massive Carr Fire still was burning in the mountains west of Redding. They sedated the bear, grabbed her legs and hauled her to a waiting pickup.

After a night of eating watermelon while penned in the Redding area, one of her rescuers drove her down to the wildlife lab. On Aug. 6 she underwent surgery by a veterinary team led by Drs. Jamie Peyton and Deana Clifford in an experimental procedure that attached paw bandages made from tilapia skins.

The feisty yearling bear cub tore one of them off by the next day, but on Saturday vets put on all-new fish skins. They've been sterilized and don't have a fishy smell. Peyton got the tilapia at a local Asian market when she first tried the procedure on two adult bears whose paws were blistered during Southern California's Thomas Fire in December.

Credit: CDFW photo by Travis VanZant
Dr. Jamie Peyton assesses the bear's paw.

The prognosis is looking good for the Whiskeytown bear, Macintyre said.

"One of the front paws is already about 40 percent covered with a delicate layer of new skin. That’s a wonderful recovery rate — just five days — and probably due in large part to her youth and overall good health," she said.

The bear has a healthy appetite and is feasting on fish, blackberries and a mix of fruits and vegetables. The veterinary staff also is adding pain meds to the meals.

While the bear may look cute in captivity, she's still a wild animal and hostile toward her keepers.

"She has an intense dislike of humans — she either hides or bluff charges the lab staff when they come into her enclosure to induce anesthesia," Macintyre said. "But that’s a good thing. We want her to stay wild, which will give her the best chance of survival once she’s released."

The plan is to eventually release the Carr Fire bear as close as possible to where she was found.

"In the case of a forest fire, we sometimes have to search harder for suitable habitat. But yes, the plan is to release her near there," Macintyre said.

Before You Leave, Check This Out