Wildlife Workers Dress as Bears for a Really Cute Reason

Humans dressed as bears aren't a particularly creative Halloween costume, but humans dressed as bears are kind of a creative way to help a little bear cub find his way back to the wild. As NBC News reports, the humans at the San Diego Humane Society are putting on bear costumes to entertain a young ursine charge who came into their care in April. The bear in question is a 2-month-old male black bear, and he's apparently taking the bait. "He was extremely fragile when he arrived," says Autumn Welch, wildlife operations manager at the Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center. "It was touch-and-go at first. But now, he's active, eating well, and gaining weight steadily."

As the Los Angeles Times notes, the weak, underweight cub was found April 12 in Los Padres National Forest, and efforts to reunite him with his mama failed. Two days later, he found himself at the wildlife center with humans outfitted as his compatriots to ease his eventual transition back into the wild. Workers wear a bear suit and leather gloves so he doesn't get too attached to humans. It's not a small undertaking: The bear needs to be fed four times a day, and it could take a year before he's ready to go back to his natural environs. "This is a very unusual case," Welch says. "We don't often see bears this young without their mother. It's an honor to care for him, but it's also a significant commitment." (More uplifting news stories.)