Bear cub Makoon to return to wild

The Manitoba government has decided a rescued bear cub, nicknamed Makoon, will be released back into the wild in June.

James Duncan with the province's wildlife branch said officials discussed the fate of the black bear with animal experts and determined he could be rehabilitated and released.

He said the animal will remain at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg for another seven or eight weeks.

Officials will then release the cub in a remote location of the province to boost its chances of survival, since adult male bears tend to prey on cubs.

The cub became a celebrity after a man from St. Malo found him dying in a ditch last month and took him home to nurse him back to health.

Hundreds of people travelled to the home to cuddle the bear and take his photo before conservation officers took him away.

Concerns had been raised about the fate of the animal whenconservation officials said he had too much human contactand would not be able to readapt to the wild.

The bear was foundMarch 25 along the highway outside of St. Malo, a community about 70 kilometres south of Winnipeg.