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Injured Black Bear Found At Heavenly Mountain Resort

An injured black bear is recovering after being found on the California side of Heavenly Mountain Resort on Monday.

The cinnamon-colored bear was seen Monday morning walking around the popular resort with a limp on his right leg, according to Tom Millham, secretary treasurer of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, where the bear is recovering. When authorities found it later, the bear was lying on its side.

The bear, who care workers are calling Heavenly Bear, was treated for the abrasions and other injuries it sustained.

"He had abrasions from a traumatic accident," he said.

Heavenly Bear might have been involved in a fight with dogs or a coyote, Millham said, or may have taken a bad fall.

Bear expert Carl Lackey, of the Nevada Department of Fish and Wildlife, moved the bear to Alpine Animal Hospital, where veterinarian Kevin Willits performed some x-rays on it, Millham said. Heavenly Bear had no broken bones.

Bear sightings during this time of the year have grown in frequency, experts say, because the drought is causing black bears to wake early from hibernation.

A black bear made an appearance on the slopes in January as Heavenly skiers competed in a ski race. It was not immediately clear if the ski-slopes bear is the same bear that was found injured this morning.

Millham said the bear was not injured by humans. Heavenly Bear is currently recovering in a bobcat cage at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. A webcam is set up to view the bear.

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