Bear enthusiasts have said they fear the three orphaned cubs in Sooke will B次元官网网址渟lowly starve to deathB次元官网网址� if they are not trapped and rehabilitated soon.

The black bear triplets, estimated to be 10 months old and described as B次元官网网址渉ealthyB次元官网网址� by wildlife experts, have been on the lam for over three weeks after they were left orphaned on Nov. 14, when their mother was hit by a vehicle and killed.

The Conservation Officer Service (COS) has been liaising with provincial wildlife biologists from the Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) and the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre to facilitate the safe capture and transfer of the cubs.

In an update on Dec. 3, a COS spokesperson said they are continuing to monitor sightings of the cubs made by Sooke locals to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) hotline.

Despite multiple sightings, the cubs have so far evaded capture.

B次元官网网址 of the cubsB次元官网网址� plight has been shared across the province, with many raising concern time is running out for the trio.

B次元官网网址淚 think they are just passing the buck hoping the bears will die,B次元官网网址� said Dee Kruger. B次元官网网址淸Just] let mother nature takes it course.B次元官网网址�

Bear behaviour expert and bear-viewing guide Ellie Lamb agrees the cubsB次元官网网址� fate has been sealed if they are not rescued.

She says it is B次元官网网址渦nlikelyB次元官网网址� the cubs will survive the winter alone.

B次元官网网址淚f they did, their body condition would not likely allow them to carry on past next year, even early next spring,B次元官网网址� said Lamb.

But, according to WLRS, orphaned black bear cubs at their age and in good condition at this time of year can successfully forage on natural foods and den without the sow.

B次元官网网址淚f the capture and transfer of the cubs to a permitted rearing facility is deemed necessary by provincial wildlife biologists with the WLRS, the COS will assist with these efforts,B次元官网网址� said a spokesperson in an emailed statement.

While the WLRS did not give more information, research from the Wildlife Research Institute suggests that black bear cubs without mothers have demonstrated self-sufficiency at five months of age when food was sufficient.

Sooke resident and former district councillor Kerrie Reay says efforts should have been made immediately to trap the bears when they took refuge up a tree in the days after the sowB次元官网网址檚 death.

B次元官网网址淲hat upsets me is that Conservation knew where these cubs were,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲hy didn't they get here right away and get those traps up, those cubs would have been thirsty and hungry.

B次元官网网址淚 just don't feel that Conservation has put in the effort.B次元官网网址�

Both Reay and Lamb have said if the cubs do survive the winter, come next year they will be considered as B次元官网网址榶earlingsB次元官网网址�, with intervention from COS and WLRS B次元官网网址渦nlikelyB次元官网网址� if they are unhealthy and in poor condition.

B次元官网网址淭hese cubs need to be captured, today if possible,B次元官网网址� said Reay. B次元官网网址淣o more sitting in the background waiting for nature to take its course. Because nature didn't take their mama, we did.B次元官网网址�

COS has asked the public to continue reporting sightings of the three cubs to the RAPP hotline at 1-877-952-7277.