17 Bears Reached Santa Cruz Rehab Center This Summer

Santa Cruz, N.M. The Land of Enchantment Wildlife Foundation took in 17 bears during the summer of 2026. The facility, located in Santa Cruz, serves as the only bear rehabilitation center in New Mexico. Staff described the period as the busiest stretch in almost a decade.

The high volume of admissions followed a dry summer that left many animals with limited access to water and food. This scarcity pushed bears out of their usual habitats and closer to human activity. Residents reported seeing the animals near backyards and dumpsters.

By mid-August, the foundation had 15 bears in its care. The total eventually climbed to 17. Nirankar Horak, who works with the facility, noted that the center’s previous record was 56 bears during the 2001 Cerro Grande wildfire. He said this year’s intake was the highest since that event.

Horak explained that many of the cubs arrived in poor condition. Even those that had stayed with their mothers until recently were often small. "So we’re seeing really thin bears this year," he said.

The center primarily handles cubs but also accepts yearlings. One bear named Sunflower arrived in June from the Mescalero Apache Reservation. At the time, the animal weighed 22 pounds. Horak described its condition as emaciated, noting that it was mostly bone and skin with little muscle remaining.

Game and Fish officials helped release Sunflower last week. The bear weighed 132 pounds at the time of release. Horak said each bear presents unique challenges, but the goal is always to provide enough food while keeping human contact to a minimum. "Keeping them in the wild is ultimately the best thing we can do," he said.

Caretakers expect the cubs currently at the center to remain in Santa Cruz until spring. They will stay there until they are heavy enough to survive on their own. Bears consume close to 20,000 calories a day during this time of year. Staff advised residents to keep trash, pet food, and bird feeders out of reach to avoid attracting the animals.