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In New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest, State Trooper Thomas Owens had grown used to the rhythm of the land and the wildlife that called it home. Encounters with black bears weren’t rare in this part of the state—there are thousands of them here—but Owens had learned long ago to keep his distance, especially from mother bears.
One spring day, though, his regular patrol turned into something he’d never forget.
As he drove a quiet stretch of road through the forest, something caught his attention. A black bear and several cubs were trying to cross, but instead of moving steadily across, the family kept turning back, unsure. Something wasn’t right.
Owens pulled over to watch more closely. That’s when he realized what was going on. One of the cubs was clearly in trouble. It lagged behind the others, struggling to walk, clearly exhausted. The mother bear paused often, trying to coax the little one forward. But the cub couldn’t keep up. Eventually, it just sat down in the middle of the road, completely spent.
The mother tried again to encourage it. When that didn’t work, she stood with it for a long moment. Then, with her three other cubs waiting nearby, she made a painful choice. She turned and led them into the woods, leaving the sick cub behind.
Owens didn’t hesitate. He called New Hampshire Fish and Wildlife right away and stayed with the cub until help arrived. It wasn’t without risk—if the mother had come back, things could’ve taken a dangerous turn—but he wasn’t going to leave the little one alone.
When the wildlife team arrived, they gently secured the cub and brought it to a rehabilitation center where it could rest and recover. Owens went with them, and even snapped a sweet photo with the cub—something he’d clearly grown attached to.
Later, there was a surprise. Wildlife officials told Owens that the mother bear had actually given birth to five cubs, not four. Earlier that same day, she had left behind another weak cub that was quite sickly. The team quickly returned to search for the missing sibling and, thankfully, found it in time.
Both cubs were reunited at the center, where they’re getting stronger every day. If all goes well, they’ll be released back into the wild once they’re healthy—back where they belong, hopefully alongside the rest of their family.
Sometimes the forest brings unexpected moments, and on this particular day, it brought one that won’t be forgotten.
