Black bear cub discovered starving in Los Padres National Forest is now thriving under care at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center, thanks to staff donning bear costumes to avoid human imprinting. The rescued cub quadrupled its weight to 12lbs within a month, with handlers using plush toys and camouflaged headsets. “He’s seeing us as other bears,” says operations manager Autumn Welch, ensuring the cub’s wild instincts remain sharp.

Now California’s youngest rehab cub, this orphan will stay up to a year under watchful, disguised caretakers. Officials may soon pair him with another orphan to strengthen his wild side. These enrichment sessions, part of a unique bear rehab, aim for a seamless return to the wild, with future GPS tracking and almost cartoonish camouflage—because nothing says ‘wild’ like a bear in a bear suit.

When first rescued, the cub weighed just 3lbs—now after a month of bear-suited parenting, he’s over 12lbs and thriving.