Dolly was only nine pounds when she arrived.

Editor’s Note: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Bear Management Program works closely with Brevard Zoo and other partners to ensure orphaned black bear cubs not yet able to survive on their own are given the best chances at successful rehabilitation and eventual release back into their natural habitat. The FWC aims to release rehabilitated young bears on public conservation areas that have high-quality bear habitat and low density of both bears and people to give them the best chances for survival.

We recently welcomed our 10th and 11th bear cub patients of the 2026 season to our East Coast Zoological Foundation (ECZF) Black Bear Rehabilitation Center at Brevard Zoo. Dolly and Olive both arrived in mid-August and have been recovering well in our care.

Olive was rescued by bear biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) after repeatedly being seen wandering around a residential yard alone in Lake County. This orphaned cub is one of the sickest bear cubs we have seen at our Rehabilitation Center. Olive arrived severely emaciated, anemic and suffering with mange. At roughly six months old, Olive should have been weighing around 40 pounds but was only nine pounds when she arrived.

While Olive has a long road of recovery ahead of her, our team is optimistic about her case. She is currently on a specialized diet to avoid refeeding syndrome, a condition where a malnourished patient starts receiving nutrients again too quickly, often resulting in fatal complications. She has also been given antibiotics and antiparasitic treatments for her mange, ticks, and worms. We are monitoring her closely and have seen her mobility and demeanor improve a little each day.

Dolly arrived three days after Olive all the way from Naples. While she was also very underweight and found alone, she was not as emaciated as Olive and was in otherwise good condition. She was started on a normal diet and received medication for internal parasites.

We are hopeful that both Dolly and Olive will be able to return back to their natural range in January, along with the rest of our patients, after making a full recovery. Bears play such an important role in their ecosystem as seed dispersers, so every cub saved is a win in conserving the Florida black bear species.

Please contact the FWC’s 24-hour Wildlife Alert Hotline right away at 888-404-FWCC (3922) if you have found an orphaned, sick, injured or dead Florida black bear.