ELY — The North American Bear Center in northeast Minnesota has taken in an orphaned 18-month-old black bear from Kentucky.

Curator Sharon Herrell said in a press release that the bear was found nursing on her dead mother after the mother was hit by a truck. She said someone had apparently found the bear, took her in and raised her for about 10 months, but the caretaker didn’t have a license or permit so authorities took her away.

The 95-pound bear, named Tasha, arrived at the center in Ely last Monday after a couple of volunteers from Wisconsin drove down to Kentucky the day before and brought her back there.

Tasha is being kept in her own den while she gets acclimated to all of the staff, volunteers and interns.

Staff expect to release her in early July.