The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is looking to hire someone as a professional baby-bear snuggler.
That’s not the entire job; nonetheless, when crews examine surrogate mama bears for research purposes, snuggling cubs is an essential part of the procedure.
According to a recent Twitter thread from the department, researchers occasionally come across abandoned newborn bears that are unable to survive on their own.
They then find healthy mama bears with young cubs, using GPS tracking collars, in the hope that she could potentially adopt the orphaned cub. They visit the mama bear, known as a sow, to upgrade her collar, perform a health examination, and weigh her.
At only 3 to 6 pounds each, her tiny cubs lack the body fat needed to stay warm while researchers work with the anesthetized sow. The cuddling team steps in at this point.
Each cub is kept warm for nearly an hour until the test is over by being nestled snugly under a staff member’s jacket. They are then given back to their mother’s tender care.
The crew will locate that sow again later using her radio collar when it’s time to find a home for an orphaned cub.
The Michigan DNR tweeted about how it works. “To shield her youngins from us, she shoos them up a tree and then flees away, trying to entice danger away from the cubs. We hang the cub from the tree and bid her farewell while she’s gone.”
To ensure that all of the cubs smell the same when they descend from the tree, the team coats the tree trunk with a scented goo. If all goes as planned, the mama bear will care for the new cub as her own when she returns.
In other words, they essentially deceive her into believing the orphan has always been her cub.
In order to manage wildlife surveys throughout the spring and summer, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is employing seasonal workers for their wildlife team.
It’s crucial to remember that cub cuddlers are specially trained. While cubs may appear cuddly and adorable, but they are wild animals with sharp claws. And their mother is likely nearby.
