Can't outrun recurrence: Long‐term outcomes of treating American black bear sarcoptic mange

The growing incidence of sarcoptic mange in American black bears ( Ursus americanus ) has become a concern for wildlife managers in the eastern United States. Inconsistency in the use of single and multi‐dose treatment approaches makes it difficult to evaluate their effects on post‐release outcomes of mange‐rehabilitated bears, which remain poorly understood. We documented the treatment of 14 black bears admitted for mange at the Wildlife Center of Virginia (WCV) between 2016 and 2023 and monitored their survival upon release after recovery. We fit 4 individuals with global positioning system (GPS) collars and characterized their movement patterns via telemetry. All individuals were released only after negative serial skin scrapes and gross clinical recovery, defined by resolution of alopecia and scabbing, improved condition, and improved hematologic values relative to WCV reference ranges. Among the 4 collared bears, 3 were euthanized because of recurrence of severe mange lesions, and 1 was found dead with no gross lesions or definitive cause of death. Among the 10 uncollared bears, 3 experienced mortality events presumably unrelated to mange recurrence, and 7 had unknown outcomes. Movement data from collared individuals indicated declines in activity prior to mortality or euthanasia, particularly following den emergence. Our findings indicate that although clinical recovery was achieved for a short period in captivity, protection did not persist after release into mange‐endemic environments. These results raise concerns about the long‐term sustainability of treatment protocols and highlight the need for integrated disease management strategies that consider the logistics of treatment, reinfestation risk, drug withdrawal periods, and post‐release behavioral ecology.