Appalachian Bear Rescue

5 days ago

Every Sunday, we’re introducing you to the stories behind the names of our six resident cubs because every name at ABR carries meaning.

Next up: Redbud 🌺🐻

Redbud arrived at ABR on August 6, 2026, alongside her three siblings after their mother was struck and killed by a vehicle in Washington County, Tennessee.

At just over six months old, Redbud weighed only 10 pounds when she was rescued. Although she was the smallest of her siblings, veterinarians at the University of Tennessee found her to be healthy and gave her a good prognosis.

Her name comes from the eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), one of the first trees to announce spring in the Southern Appalachians. Long before most trees begin to leaf out, redbuds burst into bloom, covering their branches with vibrant pink and purple blossoms.

Known for their striking flowers, redbud trees are popular ornamentals. They grow quickly when young but they are an understory tree, reaching only 20-30 feet tall.

Despite belonging to the legume (or bean) family, redbuds do not form the root nodules needed to "fix" nitrogen in the soil. They do, however, produce flat, bean-like seed pods that provide food for birds, squirrels, and other wildlife, and are even edible for people.

In fact, nearly every part of the redbud tree has been used traditionally by humans for food, medicine, basket-making, and dye. The blossoms can be eaten fresh in salads, pickled as a caper substitute, candied, baked into treats, or brewed into sun tea and redbud jelly. Rich in nectar and pollen, the flowers also provide an important early-season food source for pollinators, especially native bees and butterflies. 🐝🦋

Often seen as a symbol of rebirth and resilience, the redbud is a fitting namesake for this particular cub.

Over the past few months, she has been steadily catching up to her siblings in size while spending her days exploring, climbing, foraging, and learning the skills she'll need to survive on her own.

In just a few short weeks, Redbud will be returning to the wild, where she can truly bloom.

Check back next Sunday for the last, but certainly not least, the story behind Marsh's name. 🐻 📖 ... See MoreSee Less

Appalachian Bear Rescue

1 week ago

A big part of protecting bears happens before a bear ever needs our help.

ABR staff have been getting out in the community—from fall festivals and classrooms to our visitor center—helping people learn more about black bears and the simple things we can all do to keep them wild.

On Tuesday, ABR staff, Jaimie and Sarah, welcomed a group of excited homeschoolers to become Junior Bear Ambassadors!

After a reading The Troublesome Cub to the group, it was time to head outside and get moving.

The students became foraging bears, searching for cards showing acorns, berries, and insects to discover what bears eat throughout the year. Then came the tricky part: some of the cards showed things bears might find around our homes, like trash and bird feeders. The students had to figure out which items should never be left where a bear could find them.

They made bear tracks with stencils, built bear habitat with stamps, and got an up-close look at skulls, claws, and fur while learning about some of the amazing adaptations that make a black bear a black bear.

Then came the final test. To earn their Junior Bear Ambassador certificates, the students had to answer a few questions about what they had learned.

And they were ready!

“They can climb trees!” 🌳
“They eat insects and berries!”🫐
“We should never get close to bears!” 🛑
“We should never feed bears!” 🚫

Looks like we have our first graduating class from ABR’s Cub Academy! 🎓🐻

Education and outreach are a big part of what we do at Appalachian Bear Rescue. We want to reach more people, answer questions, share what we’ve learned, and help our communities become better neighbors to bears.

Our “The Bears Are Back in Townsend”fundraising campaign will help us expand our education and outreach efforts and bring the message of coexistence to more communities.

Donate today and help us inspire more people to understand, appreciate, and protect black bears—and keep them wild. 🌿🐻 ... See MoreSee Less

Appalachian Bear Rescue

2 weeks ago

Let the feast begin!!!

October 5, 2026
Weather: 78F/25C
Sunny with 40% Humidity

As we enter fall in the Appalachian, the leaves begin to change color and fall, the heat starts to loosen its hold on the land, the trees start to drop nuts, and well the bears....bears really begin to EAT!

We all know about hyperphagia, the instinctual urge to stuff as much food in oneself as possible as fast as possible. We also know that bears are famous for this. The bears channel their inner Joey Chestnut (World Champion Hotdog Eater) and enter a food eating competition where the finish line is hibernation.

While our cubs get more active during this time of year, that activity is primarily for foraging rather than play. We see less wrestling, and more and more searching for food. In order to keep up with the growing caloric demands of these very very VERY hungry cubs, we constantly have to increase the amount of food we feed them. To further accommodate their constant NEED TO FEED, curators have taken to feeding the cubs multiple times a day!

For your viewing pleasure, we present various videos and pictures of the cubs chowing down. We hope you enjoy these. Crank up the volume on a few of videos to experience cub chewing ASMR (we haven't taught them to chew with their mouth closed yet). ... See MoreSee Less

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Appalachian Bear Rescue

2 weeks ago

Every Sunday, we’re introducing you to the stories behind the names of our six resident cubs—because every name at ABR carries meaning.

Next up: Poplar 🌳 🐻

Poplar was named after one of the Appalachian forest’s most iconic trees: the tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera). Despite its name, it isn’t a true poplar (like a cottonwood tree) but it is a towering member of the magnolia family.

These trees rise straight and tall, sometimes more than 150 feet high, with trunks so smooth and straight that early settlers called them “canoe trees.” The wood from the tulip poplar was revered in Appalachia for many uses, from building cabins to making skinning boards and fur stretchers.🪵 🛶

In spring, tulip poplars unfurl bright green leaves shaped like little cat faces and bloom with yellow-orange flowers that look like lanterns tucked high in the canopy. These flowers provide a high volume of sugary nectar for bees, a vital source early in the season. Their branches shelter owls, squirrels, and black bears—including providing a great denning site for mother bears and their cubs. 🐝🦉

Tulip poplars grow fast, reaching for the light with determination—one reason they’ve long symbolized strength and growth.

Poplar, the cub, carries that same spirit.

Like his namesake, he’s growing—steadily, quietly, and with purpose. Every day in the wild enclosures allows to grow him to grow a little bigger, stronger and more confident as he prepares for life back in the forest.

Check back next Sunday to meet another one of our cubs and discover the story behind their name! 📖 🌿🐻 ... See MoreSee Less