Orphaned, burned and broken: The Frisco Creek bears of 2026
News originally published by
Colorado Parks & Wildlife11/12/26
John Livingston
Southwest Region Public Information Officer
970-759-9590 / [email protected]
@CPW_SW
Orphaned, burned and broken: The Frisco Creek bears of 2026
This photo collage shows the progress of healing on a back paw of a yearling male black bear that sustained burn wounds during the Aspen Acres Fire. The top left photo is from before its first treatment July 21, and the final photo on the bottom right is from a checkup Sept. 15. The bear received three treatments. (Dr. Jane Riner/CPW photos)
Nov. 12, 2026
MONTE VISTA, Colo. – During a year of unprecedented human-bear conflict, the Frisco Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center cared for a record number of orphaned black bear cubs.
It was only mid-April when the first bear of the year arrived at facility manager Michael Sirochman’s doorstep. It was a 6-pound cub from Evergreen. Since then, 46 more bears have found their way to Frisco Creek, operated by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and located in the San Luis Valley.
Included in the bunch was a bear dealing with a broken leg, a yearling that sustained burn injuries in the Aspen Acres Fire, and dozens more orphaned in a variety of ways during the worst year of human-bear conflict on record for CPW.
“For the last 15 years, we’ve averaged about 20 orphaned black bear cubs a year here at Frisco Creek,” Sirochman said. “Fortunately, this year we did not have any bobcats, mountain lions or red foxes, so all mammal pen space has been available and dedicated to housing cubs. We were also able to finish modifications to several pens that were set up for other species in the past and were not very useful for bear cubs. This has allowed us to take in a record number of cubs this year.”
The 47 bears at Frisco Creek this year have come from all over the state. Twenty-one have come from CPW’s Southeast Region, 18 from the Northeast, seven from the Southwest and one from the Northwest, with many more Northwest cubs going to the private rehab facility Silt – the Pauline S. Schneegas Wildlife Foundation.
Frisco Creek primarily takes in young-of-the-year cubs. However, treating yearling bears has also become more common. Yearlings in need of help are typically encountered in the spring or late winter, having entered into hibernation as cubs without sufficient fat reserves. Because of malnourishment, those yearlings are sometimes so small and stunted that they are mistaken for cubs.
This year, Sirochman and his team found themselves caring for a yearling male that sustained injuries in the Aspen Acres Fire. The bear arrived July 20 with burns on the bottoms of all four paws.
CPW Field Veterinarian Dr. Jane Riner has extensive experience with burn care for black bears and other wildlife. This case was not particularly severe compared to many other cases she has treated.
“This bear had significant burn injuries to all four paws, but they were already showing signs of healing,” Dr. Riner said. “Because he had survived the worst of it and we had a headstart, we had high hopes for a successful outcome. We were able to use special wound dressings to provide protection from infection and a multi-wavelength light therapy to accelerate the healing process. He showed incredible improvement, and within nine days, we were able to discontinue bandaging and get him comfortably back on his feet.”
When the bear with burn injuries arrived at the facility, he weighed only 31 pounds. Now, he has healed from the burns and has soared past 120 pounds.
“We were very pleased how tolerant he was of our frequent bandaging,” said Frisco Creek seasonal employee Ashley Lestone. “Wild animals in care will often immediately attempt to remove bandages or other foreign objects from their body, but this bear seemed content to leave everything alone and give his paws some much needed rest.”
The burns are now completely healed, and the yearling is preparing for hibernation. CPW’s current plan is to release him in late November when he is ready to den up for the winter.
Another 2026 cub arrived at Frisco Creek with a broken femur in its right hind leg. 9News first brought this bear's story to the public in early August, shortly after a Custer County Sheriff’s deputy picked up the injured cub along a highway.
At that time, the cub was malnourished, dehydrated and limping on a broken leg. Thanks to supportive care at Frisco Creek and a successful surgical repair at Alpine Veterinary Hospital, the cub is now on the path to recovery.
A follow-up X-ray in mid-September showed Sirochman and Dr. Riner that the bone was healing properly, and that the cub is very likely to return to the wild.
"We are very pleased with the healing progress so far,” said Frisco Creek intern Elyana Pollard. “Her limp has disappeared, and she seems to be getting around normally and pain-free. In addition, she was able to reach a healthy weight, and is now quite chubby, fluffy and ready for hibernation. While we will be keeping her at the facility through the winter months to ensure her leg is properly healed, we are hopeful that she will be fully healed and ready for release come spring.”
While some bears have a more complex story or unique care plan, most arrive because their mother has died. Mortalities can occur for several reasons, including roadway collisions with motorists, landowner conflicts, and when CPW is forced to euthanize a bear for breaking into homes. When it is clear that cubs have been left behind in these situations, CPW strives to give them a chance at survival by sending cubs to Frisco Creek.
In rare cases, cubs can be orphaned when a mother abandons them. That has been a more prevalent issue in 2026, which has been the worst year of natural food production for bears that CPW has recorded. The widespread food failure can be attributed to historic drought, late spring freezes and multiple large wildfires across the state.
“Each year, we collect staff survey data on natural bear food fall conditions around the state, and 2026 will go down as the worst statewide results we’ve seen since we started surveys in 2008,” said Mark Vieira, CPW’s Carnivore and Furbearer Program Manager. “While a final data summary is not available yet, many parts of the state reported complete food failures in most common bear food sources like acorns, serviceberries, chokecherries and plums.”
Through the years, Frisco Creek has had as few as four orphaned bear cubs in one year to as many as 40. After taking in 29 cubs in 2025 and now 47 in 2026, Sirochman hopes to see a return to more average totals – around 20 cubs or less – and that the recent spike doesn’t become the new normal.
“Most wildlife officers will tell you that killing a bear is one of the worst things they ever have to do, and we constantly hear how grateful they are to have a place to send the orphan cubs,” Sirochman said. “We will continue doing everything we can at Frisco Creek to meet that need and provide that second chance.”
PHOTO INFORMATION (TOP TO BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT)
- Orphaned bear cubs at the Frisco Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center socializing together in a large pen area. (Michael Sirochman/CPW photo)
- A bear that sustained a broken leg and recovered at the Frisco Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is pictured inside a covered pen area at the facility while recovering from its injury and subsequent surgery. (Elyana Pollard/CPW photo)
- Two sibling cubs are pictured inside a den box in July 2026 at the Frisco Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. A third cub is also inside the box. (John Livingston/CPW photo)
- Michael and Tracey Sirochman carry a sedated bear cub into a pen at the Frisco Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. (John Livingston/CPW photo)
- Frisco Creek facility manager Michael Sirochman places an ear tag in the right ear of a cub alongside his wife, Tracey Sirochman, CPW Southwest Region Manager Cory Chick and CPW Director Laura Clellan. (John Livingston/CPW photo)
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