In search of motivation, photographer Orey Hancock walked through a forest trail. A black spot appeared on the greenery in the distance.
Upon closer inspection, it was discovered to be a small bear cub. Hancock recalls: “He was resting on his back and appeared to be dead.” His lips were blue, and his eyes were open but not moving. He was soaked from the rain. However, I did notice breathing. The thought of my young son, who remained at home, crossed my mind. There was a resemblance between the bear cub and a child. He couldn’t be left to perish in the rain. The urge to act compelled me.»
After grabbing the bear in his arms, the photographer dashed to his car. ‘I was running because I was afraid that an angry bear would appear at any moment.’ It is common for mothers to leave their children to find food. After watching for a while, Corey noticed there were no other bears in the area. As soon as Hancock reached the vehicle, the bear fell unconscious. The photographer then breathed life back into the animal rescue.
After being taken to the veterinarian, the bear is now being rehabbed and growing stronger each day. The hungry bear cub was severely malnourished and exhausted. Assisted bears could result in a $6,000 fine and a year in prison for Cory Hancock, according to Oregon fishing and wildlife regulations. In Oregon, there have been numerous cases of cub “rescue.” Mother bears take their cubs from their offspring in the mistaken belief that they are saving them, but the bear has simply gone seeking food for a few hours. People interfere with the wild as a result. This case did not result in any punishment.
