Maryland Zoo Welcomes Orphaned Grizzly Bear Cubs

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Maryland Zoo has welcomed two orphaned grizzly bear cubs from Montana.

The two cubs, estimated to be 11 months old, are on permanent loan from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks after being found without their mother on Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Lands in Montana.

The cubs' mother was found a few weeks after the cubs, with severe shotgun wounds to her face. She was later euthanized.

Wildlife officials determined the cubs were not good candidates for rehabilitation and release to the wild, because of their age, so they then worked to find them a permanent home.

"Although no one likes the tragic circumstances that lead to the cubs coming here to the Zoo, we are pleased that we can offer a permanent home to these sisters," said Don Hutchinson, president and CEO of The Maryland Zoo. "They are being well cared for and we plan to do so for many, many years."

They arrived at the zoo back on December 21, 2016, and were quarantined for 30 days at the zoo hospital.

The were then moved to the Polar Bear Watch exhibit to acclimate to their new surroundings.

Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook