The unnamed cub made it back to its forgetful mom, Dory. Image: USDA Forest Service

One little bear cub in Southeastern Alaska’s Tongass National Forest is a true model of bravery. The park’s rangers have awarded the unnamed black bear ( Ursus americanus ) cub with the 2026 Courageous Cub award for persevering when he got himself in a little pickle this summer. The cub belongs to a forgetful mother bear named Dory , who had two cubs this season.

“This little cub of Dory’s went on a big adventure. He got lost, ran down the trail a half mile and approached visitors as if to ask, ‘Are you my mommy?’ Then got scared and ran off in the wrong direction,” the Tongass rangers write . “Hours later he came running back up the trail sniffing out where mama was.”

Black bears like this family have a very keen sense of smell. It is debated just how far away they can smell, but it is at least two miles and could be up to 20 .…