Cottonwood Rehab Faces Cub Surge Following Cedar Crest Tragedy

ESPAÑOLA, N.M. — What began as a quiet summer for Cottonwood Rehabilitation has quickly transformed into a bustling nursery for New Mexico’s youngest and most vulnerable wildlife.

Over the span of just two weeks, the wildlife intake numbers at the nonprofit facility have surged from a single orphaned black bear cub to eight. Among the newest arrivals are two young siblings brought in following an unfortunate human-wildlife encounter in Cedar Crest, where state wildlife officials were forced to euthanize their mother after she bit a local resident.

While the circumstances bringing the cubs through the clinic doors are often tragic, the atmosphere inside Cottonwood Rehabilitation—operated under the Land of Enchantment Wildlife Foundation (LEWF)—is defined by relentless care, warmth, and hope.

Leading that charge is Dr. Kathleen Ramsay, a renowned veterinarian affectionately dubbed “The Bear Doc,” whose career spans decades and includes the rehabilitation of more than 700 bears and elk across the Southwest.

“When cubs lose their mother this early in life, they have zero chance of survival on their own in the wild,” said Ramsay. “Our mission isn’t just to keep them fed and healthy; it’s about giving them a safe place to grow, learn how to be bears, and ultimately get them back out into the mountains where they belong.”

Caring for eight rapidly growing cubs is an around-the-clock operation. The facility’s team provides specialized milk formulas, fresh fruits, vegetables, and secure outdoor enclosures designed to encourage natural climbing and foraging behaviors while strictly limiting human habituation.

The surge in bear patients places a significant financial demand on the non-profit organization, which relies entirely on charitable contributions, community grants, and volunteer support to cover veterinary medicine, specialized nutrition, and habitat maintenance.

How to Help

Members of the public wishing to support the ongoing care, feeding, and medical rehabilitation of the bear cubs can make tax-deductible contributions directly through the Land of Enchantment Wildlife Foundation:

• Online Donations: Visit www.lewf.org and click the Donate Now button.
• Mail Donations: Land of Enchantment Wildlife Foundation (LEWF)

P.O. Box 957

Santa Cruz, NM 87567

• Contact & Inquiries: Email director@lewf.org or call (505) 484-8225.

Communities nestled along the Sandia and Manzano Mountains, including Cedar Crest and Tijeras, share their habitat with a thriving population of American black bears. To protect both residents and wildlife, conservation officers and wildlife rehabilitators urge neighbors to eliminate accidental food sources that draw bears into residential areas.

Core Prevention Guidelines

• Secure Household Garbage: Keep trash containers inside a garage or bear-resistant shed until the morning of collection. Never leave garbage cans out overnight.
• Remove Bird Feeders: Suspend the use of seed, suet, and nectar feeders from spring through late fall, when bears are actively foraging.
• Manage Pet Food & Grills: Feed domestic animals indoors and clean outdoor barbecue grills thoroughly after each use to remove grease and food residue.
• Pick Fallen Fruit: Regularly clear yards of ripe or rotting fruit dropped from orchard trees.
• Keep Vehicle Doors Locked: Bears frequently open unlocked car doors if scented items, food wrappers, or cosmetics are left inside.

Encounter Protocol

Situation	Action
Bear in your yard	Stay indoors, make loud noises (banging pots, shouting, blowing a whistle), and give the bear a clear, unobstructed escape route.
Encounter on a trail	Never run. Stand tall, speak calmly in a deep voice, back away slowly, and prepare bear spray if equipped. Running can trigger a predatory chase instinct.
Cub sighting	Maintain distance immediately. A mother sow is typically nearby and will become fiercely defensive if she perceives a threat to her young.

To report an aggressive or habituated bear in New Mexico, contact the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish dispatch at (505) 841-4600.