GOLETA, Calif. — Officials tracking two bears that were badly burned in the largest wildfire in California history say the animals are settling back into their home in the wild after receiving unusual treatment for their injured paws. The adult bears were released into the forest last month after getting care for third-degree burns they suffered in December’s Thomas fire. Veterinarians treating the animals had stitched fish skins to their burned paws, then wrapped them with bandages of rice paper and corn husks. Doctors routinely graft skin from humans and pigs to burns, but fish skins have the advantage of being more readily available. The results argue for more trials of the fish skins for burns, the vets said.

Source: National Post February 18, 2018 18:54 UTC