The San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center is caring for two orphaned black bear cubs after their mother was deemed a public safety threat and euthanized by state officials in the Monrovia area of Los Angeles County.

The brothers, estimated at 2 to 3 months old, arrived at the Ramona facility on March 15. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, DNA testing linked their mother to two separate public safety incidents in the past year, prompting the decision to euthanize her.

Wildlife staff at the center are raising the cubs with minimal human contact to preserve their wild instincts. To prevent habituation, staff use bear masks, animal furs, and scents to conceal their human identity during care.

"Raising bear cubs from this young age requires an extraordinary amount of time, expertise and resources," said Autumn Welch, wildlife operations manager at San Diego Humane Society. "We don't want them to associate with humans in any way if they are going to have a chance to survive in their natural habitat."

Officials noted that rehabilitating orphaned cubs is critical not only for the animals' survival but also for reducing future human-wildlife conflicts. Mother bears teach cubs survival behaviors, and when bears learn to seek food around people, cubs often follow suit.

"Bears are highly adaptable and will seek out food and shelter when opportunities are present," said Cort Klopping of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "Securing crawl spaces, removing food attractants such as unsecured trash or pet food, and eliminating access to sheltered areas around homes are critical steps residents must take."

The Ramona Wildlife Center, part of the San Diego Humane Society, regularly rehabilitates injured and orphaned wildlife across San Diego County, including mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, and now black bears.