We have seen very dry conditions in the enclosures as well as all of east Tennessee, which has been in a drought. But the weather has changed, fortunately, and we now have soggy, wet enclosures. Of course, when they are in the wild, bears encounter all weather conditions without assistance, but it was a little surprising to see the cubs out in the muddy enclosures.
Enclosures #1 and 2 have rivulets of water running through them.
The arrow points to a hole the cubs dug recently in the dry ground. It is now a little pond!
They must enter the Acclimation Pen to get their food. Turnip coaxes a juicy apple to the edge of the platform, so he can get at it.
Got it! Chomp!
The countdown is on for these cubs, who will be released soon.
The Floating Pear is doing his job. It looks like Betsy is passing the test. Note the empty food wheel.
Food has been moved into The Cub House, so the bears must enter to eat. Since they always want to eat that is no problem!
We thought you would like to see a couple of photos of our newest cub, Tinsel, as she looked before she was rescued.
No wonder the people who spotted her were concerned!
She is a tiny little mite! Hard to believe she is the same age as, say, Turnip!
She is eating well in the Recovery Center.
The plan is to release her with Twinkle, into the vacant Enclosure #3.
Twinkle has put on some weight in the short time she has been with us, but she is still much smaller than those chonky cubs in the Wild Enclosures!
Watch this space for further developments!