(Image Credit: Northern Lights Wildlife Society)

By Elora McCormack

Bear Cub Rescue

Rescued bear cub found near Kamloops makes 1,800 km trip to northern B.C. and back

Mar 28, 2026 | 2:10 PM

KAMLOOPS – An abandoned bear cub found near Heffley Lake, about 43 kilometres north of Kamloops, will now live in the care of BC Wildlife Park after being transported to northern B.C. for emergency care.

The Northern Lights Wildlife Society said the male cub was found alone on Sunday (March 22).

Rescue volunteers left the cub overnight in hopes that his mother would return, but by morning, he was unresponsive and cold in the same spot.

The team then took the cub into their care and went to Quesnel to meet other volunteers for bear milk replacer. The team then continued their journey to the Northern Lights Wildlife Society facility in Smithers.

Volunteers used an incubator to warm up the 5-to-6-week-old cub and fed him 20ml of formula every 3 hours.

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On Tuesday (March 24) cub was taken back to Kamloops and handed over to the BC Wildlife Park to stay in their care.

Northern Lights Wildlife Society volunteers said the 3-pound cub took a 1,866 kilometre round trip from Heffley Lake, to Smithers and back to the BC Wildlife Park.