RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- After a video showing a group of people pulling bear cubs from trees to take photos with them in North Carolina began circulating online earlier this week, the Wildlife Center of Virginia is asking residents of the Commonwealth to "keep bears wild" this Spring as they emerge from hibernation. According to the center, black bears typically begin to emerge from hibernation in April and May and one of the first thing a bear teaches its cubs is how to climb a tree to avoid danger. “It can be a dangerous world out there for young bears. In addition to threats like predation from other animals and simply surviving the elements, bear cubs have to deal with things that are directly related to human activity, too," said Alex Wehrung, the center’s Public Affairs Manager. "Den sites being disturbed or destroyed, vehicle collisions, free-roaming dogs that have been let off-leash, close encounters with humans, etc. These are very real threats from the [mother's] perspective, and their protective instinct kicks in." The center urges anyone who encounters a bear cub by itself to not interact with it or pick it up -- especially not to take a photo with it. Instead, leave the area and give the mother time to come back to collect her cub. If you come back the following day and see the cub is still in the area, or see that the cub is obviously injured, call the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources or your local wildlife agency. Virginians are asked to take the following precautions if they encounter a bear in the wild: Never feed a bear – not only is it illegal, but a fed bear will lose its natural wariness of humans, and can quickly become a nuisance bear. Never take a bear cub home – if you encounter a cub that could be orphaned or injured, call the Department of Wildlife Resources immediately. We can successfully rehabilitate bears, but keeping bears wild means minimizing human contact, and never treating them like a pet. Don’t run, if you encounter a Black Bear in the wild. Announce your presence and calmly leave the area. More information about coexisting with black bears can be found here.