A US hiker has avoided jail after he discovered a distressed bear cub in the forest and used CPR to save it.
Photographer Corey Hancock came across the 3-month-old bear cub while hiking a scenic trail in Oregon on Monday night.
The bear is now recovering, but animal experts warned Hancock that removing the animal from its natural habitat was a step too far.
The good Samaritan could have faced a $6,000 fine or even a year in jail.
“We had no choice – we weren’t going to leave it there,” Hancock told Inside Edition.
Photographer Corey Hancock spotted the bear while hiking a scenic trail. Credit: Yahoo US.
He has faced strong backlash for removing the cub from its natural environment. Source: Yahoo US
“He had been abandoned and looked like he was near death. When I got close he was barely moving at first. I thought he was dead.”
The cub, weighing just five pounds, was certain to die, but Hancock was determined to save it, carrying it more than seven miles.
“I was holding this tiny, lifeless creature in my arms and wondering if he was going to survive,” he said.
“I tried CPR, gave him a few puffs of the emergency inhaler and pressed on his chest. He took a breath. He was fighting to survive.”
The bears can never be released back into the wild. Source: Yahoo!
Hancock took the bear to a nearby wildlife center, where it is recovering well, but cannot be released back into the wild.
According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, it is illegal to interfere with wildlife and remove them from their natural habitat.
Oregon State Police announced Wednesday that Hancock, who said he “felt a special bond with the cub,” will not be punished for his actions.