‘Selfie Cub’, who was pulled out of a tree for photographs, has been released back into the wild.

ASHEVILLE, NC (WBTV/Gray News) – A bear cub that was pulled out of a tree for a selfie has been released back into the wild.

The bear gained international attention after video taken in April showed a group of people removing it from a tree in Asheville, North Carolina, and posing with it for photos.

Seven months later, on November 20, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission announced that the bear had been fully treated and released back into the wild.

After the incident, the commission rescued the cub from a nearby retention pond and took her to a state-licensed rehabilitation center. A second cub, believed to be her brother, was seen on video running away but was never found.

Officials aren’t sure if the two were in the tree because they were orphans or were simply waiting for their mother to return.

However, once staff determined that the “selfie cub” was healthy and capable of surviving in the wild, it was fitted with a tracking collar and given tags and markings before being released.

“GPS collar data shows she is adapting well to life in the wild,” said NCWRC Bearwise Coordinator Ashley Hobbs. “Like most rehabilitated black bear cubs, we expect this cub to follow its instincts and determine an appropriate den site this winter. Bear cubs are tough animals, and it looks like this cub will be no exception.”

Wildlife biologists say cubs seen alone are rarely orphaned, and that the mother is usually nearby looking for food and returns within a few hours or less.

Staying near or attempting to catch the cub may inadvertently separate it from its mother or cause harm to it.

“People who attempt to capture or take a cub risk not only the safety of the cub, but also their own safety if a mother bear is nearby, as she may try to protect her cubs,” said Game Mammal and Research Manager Colleen Olfenbuttel. “Trying to catch a bear cub can make it an orphan, get injured, or both.”

When bears and cubs emerge in the spring, NCWRC advises anyone who encounters a presumably orphaned bear cub not to handle it or try to catch it, remove it, or feed it.

Instead, NCWRC advises you to record your location and call the North Carolina Wildlife Hotline at (866) 318-2401. If after hours or on weekends, call the area wildlife biologist and report it.

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