Baby bear gets surrogate parents in hilariously disguised human and stuffed toy!

San Diego, California - He's just three months old and the size of a cuddly teddy bear, but he's already playing like a big one! Never before has the wildlife sanctuary in San Diego had such a young (and completely adorable) black bear.

These bear-ents look a little different, but as long as they play with the cub, he doesn't care much.
These bear-ents look a little different, but as long as they play with the cub, he doesn't care much.  © Collage: San Diego Humane Society

This bear cub's parents are a large plush bear and a human in a bear costume. Hey, they're just another modern family!

In an official press release, the San Diego Humane Society tells the story of the little bear and his unusual family.

The cub was found a little further north in the Los Padres National Forest on April 12 when campers heard the cub's desperate cries for help and decided to alert the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Dog is adorably overjoyed to see his BFF neighbor after returning from vacation!
Dogs Dog is adorably overjoyed to see his BFF neighbor after returning from vacation!

They initially tried to reunite the cub with its mother by repeatedly releasing it in different places in the forest, but she never returned.

Days later, the baby was finally handed over to the animal shelter in San Diego, where the keepers have been taking good care of the little one ever since.

"He was extremely fragile when he arrived," said Autumn Welch, the Wildlife Operations Manager at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center.

"After going several days without nutrition, it was touch-and-go at first. But now, he’s active, eating well and gaining weight steadily."

The black bear cub stole the keepers' hearts right away.
The black bear cub stole the keepers' hearts right away.  © Collage: San Diego Humane Society
The little black bear baby's new favorite cuddly toy quickly became obvious.
The little black bear baby's new favorite cuddly toy quickly became obvious.  © San Diego Humane Society

But why the disguise? To keep him from bonding too closely with the human carers, which would make returning him to the forest later in life more difficult.

In all likelihood, the cub will stay at the sanctuary for around a year before hopefully being released back into the wild.

Cover photo: Collage: San Diego Humane Society

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