Wildlife society theorizes burned bear ‘hibernated in slash wood pile’ as its condition improves

SMITHERS, B.C. — The wildlife organization which rescued a bear from the cold off the highway near Dawson Creek has noted the bear has gained weight and is doing well in its latest update.

Northern Lights Wildlife Society (NLWS) took the bear in after it was rescued in the freezing cold on December 21st off 188 Road.

It was placed in a crate by NLWS volunteer Renata Debolt and Sean Jackson, after Jackson shooed it off the road earlier that Sunday.

A pair of new photos posted to NLWS’ Facebook on December 29th show the bear – now named Valkyrie following a naming contest – is “doing well under the circumstances.”

The animal’s ears are burned and her paws are bandaged up due to skin sloughing – or peeling off – which is normal, according to NLWS’ manager Angelika Langen.

“She has burns on all four paws,” said Langen. “The affected skin is now sloughing off, which is a normal process. It looks a little worse than it did before, but it’s actually part of the healing process.

“She will need weeks of treatment. We are reaching out to different authorities and burn specialists to see if there are other things than what we’re already doing that we could add.” 

Langen told Energeticcity.ca the animal’s facial scars are due to burns, possibly due to hibernating in a slash pile of wood, which is logging debris burned in the wintertime.

“It is what happens so often in the winter, and many animals make those piles their winter home,” said Langen. “She was probably sleeping in there with some others when the whole thing got lit up.”

Langen said they expect Valkyrie to make a full recovery and plan to release the bear by the summer of 2026.

More details about the NLWS are available on the organization’s Facebook page and website.