Bear cub burned in California wildfire receives ‘fish skin’

RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. — A bear cub is recovering after receiving fish skin bandages to its paws that were burned in the California wildfires.

A contractor found the yearling female lying in ash and unable to walk on Aug. 2. The bear was taken to the California Fish and Wildlife’s lab in Rancho Cordova, where video shows sterilized tilapia skins were placed on its injured paws. The cub also received antibiotics, laser treatments and acupuncture to manage pain.

The fish-skin therapy was used to treat two bears in 2017, and they were released into the wild in January.

Officials are optimistic the bear will recover.

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