Yesterday we showed you an aerial view of the ABR facility – hope you clicked to enlarge the image to see it better. Today, we will show you some of the parts that make up the whole facility, starting with an overview of the buildings.
We were asked about the housing for small bears when they first arrive. If they need to be indoors, as Little Bit did because of her wound, then the new Cub Nursery is ideal, and we must once again thank all of our supporters who contributed to the Cubby Nursery campaign! She was able to be isolated and in air-conditioned comfort (and away from insect pests) until her wound had healed. The next photo shows 2 of the weaning pens, where young bears are housed when they first arrive and need to be watched closely for a time. Little Bit was moved into one of these after she no longer needed the isolation of the Cub Nursery. For some cubs, this is their first stop at ABR but for Little Bit it was her second and last stop before her release.
Last on today’s Closer Look Tour is a view of one of the “cribs,” where cubs that no longer need the closer scrutiny afforded by the weaning pens spend their days in “family groups,” that is, several cubs of the same age, learning to get along together and learn from each other. The “crib” is the final stop before release into the Wild Side. When these cubs reach weights of 30 pounds or more, the gate to the Wild Side is opened so that they can come and go at will. Not all of ABR’s cubs go through every stop along the way to release. Little Bit, for example, went from Nursery to weaning pen, to release. Some cubs that are admitted at very young ages will be at ABR longer, and may ultimately proceed through all of the possible housing options. Each case is different, and each bear is evaluated according to his/her needs.
