we visited the nearby kilham bear center, now home to mink's cubs and some younger ones who welcomednoted bear expert ben kilham has been caring for and releasing orphaned bear cubs for more than 25 years. did you think she would return? >> i knew she would return or try to return. a bear's home range is a bear's home. >> reporter: black bears, he says, are much smarter than people think. >> they recognize their own image. >> reporter: that's self- awareness? >> yeah, that's self-awareness. >> come on, guys. >> reporter: kilham usually ilkes in eight cubs a year, but this year, it's more than 80, due to a severe food shortage that forced mama bears to search for food far away. some never returned to their cubs. the day we were there, two more starving cubs arrived. as for mink, this time, she doesn't appear to be causing problems. kilham says that's because people here are finally following a simple rule: >> don't put any food out for s.ars. when you feed a bear, it's like inviting your brother-in-law over for dinner and he stays for a month. >> reporter: and let's face it, no one wa

we visited the nearby kilham bear center, now home to mink's cubs and some younger ones who opened us with open paws. noted bear expert ben kilham has been caring for and releasing orphaned bear cubs for more than 25 years. did you think she would return? >> i knew she would return or try to return. a bear's home range is a bear's home. >> reporter: black bears he says are much smarter than people think. >> they recognize their own image. >> reporter: that's self-awareness. >> yeah, that's self-awareness. >> come on, guys. >> reporter: kilham usually takes in about eight cubs a year, but this year it's more than 80, due to a severe food shortage that forced mama bears to search for food far away. some never returned to their cubs. the day we were there, two more starving cubs arrived. as for mink, this time she doesn't appear to be causing problems. kilham says that's because people here are finally following a simple rule. >> don't put any food out for bears. when you feed a bear, it's like inviting your brother-in-law over for dinner and he stays for a month. >> reporter: and let's