Bear Cubs Relocated After Mother Goes Missing

California wildlife officials moved two cubs from a Mammoth Lakes-area town as their mother, BB112, remains unaccounted for.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Wildlife

Bear Cubs Relocated After Mother Goes Missing

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The California Department of Fish and Wildlife relocated bear cubs BB143 and BB144 outside a Mammoth Lakes-area town. Their mother, BB112, has not been relocated and her whereabouts have been unknown since September 2026.

Why it matters

Relocation was carried out to reduce the risk of human-bear conflict and to discourage people from feeding the cubs out of sympathy. California's wildlife rules treat feeding or harassing bears as a misdemeanor.

Feeding or harassing wildlife in California is punishable by fines up to $1,000 and up to 6 months in jail. Biologists determined the cubs had been functionally independent for at least 4 days before they were moved, and the exact whereabouts of their mother remain unconfirmed.

The players

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

The state agency responsible for managing California's wildlife, including bear monitoring, relocation and enforcement of anti-feeding laws.

The details

Wildlife biologists, regional managers and wildlife veterinarians reviewed the decision to relocate the cubs, which were too small to carry radio-collars. The mother bear had a history of conflict dating back to at least summer 2025 and was reportedly teaching her cubs to break into vehicles and homes. On October 24, 2026, a warden found BB112 and BB144 together eating trash in a vacant building, and an unrelated cub was found dead after ingesting unsecured trash.

August 6, 2026: BB112's radio-collar detached as programmed.
September 18, 2026: BB112 and cubs were last confirmed together at a vacant home.
September 24, 2026: CDFW searched for BB112 and found no sign of her.
September 29, 2026: CDFW confirmed a tangled cub was BB144.
October 24, 2026: BB112 and BB144 were found eating trash in a vacant building.

Season Trajectory

The case reflects the long-running challenge CDFW faces in tracking human-habituated bears through its radio-collar program. Because the cubs were too small to collar, their post-relocation movements remain difficult to monitor.

Residents in the Mammoth Lakes area should keep trash secured and avoid feeding bears, since feeding or harassing wildlife is a misdemeanor in California. Those who encounter bears should report sightings to the Department of Fish and Wildlife rather than approaching them.

The takeaway

Keeping trash secured and avoiding feeding bears protects both people and wildlife, since human food is a leading cause of bears losing their fear of people.