CALDWELL, Idaho (CNN/KPAX) -- When a fire rips through a forest, the forgotten victims are often those who call it home. A fire is raging just north of Salmon, Idaho. In the ashes, an orphaned bear cub was found clinging to a tree, and to life.
In the charred remains of the mustang fire, a 4 month old orphaned black bear cub was spotted, clinging to a tree. Crews pulled him down and that's when they discovered second degree burns on all four of his paws. Bill Swartley says, "He was just cowering in the corner, just watching everybody and he looked a little bit dazed and I assume because he was a little bit dehydrated and hadn't had food for awhile."
Crew members fondly named the 4 month black bear cub Boo Boo. He's now being treated around the clock at the wildlife health lab in Caldwell, Idaho and is expected to be okay. Swardley says, "All of his wounds have been thoroughly cleaned out and I just got off the phone a few minutes ago with Dr. Drew and he indicated that his burn wounds look much better and his prognosis for the little guy is quite good."
Boo Boo isn't out of the woods yet, in addition to the throbbing pain, there's the trauma from the fire and no mother bear to console him. Swardley says, "It's probably been a scary time for him because is the first time in his life he's been away from his mother and she's all he's even know. It's hard to say, but I imagine, he's a little bit lonely."
The Idaho cub will be transferred to a rehabilitation facility to recover for 6 weeks. Depending on how much human contact he's had, Boo Boo may be released back to the wild or may become a zoo bear. Swardley says, "It will just kind of depend on his behavior, once he's placed in a ex-closure where he can behave more like a wild bear and he'll be observed and that determination will be made."
What isn't up for debate, is the big spirit of this little cub. Swardley says, "Bears like most wildlife, they are pretty darn tough animals, so I got a good feeling that he's going to be all right."
Officials are now looking for a rehabilitation facility for Boo Boob