Since we posted the most recent information about the number of small, orphaned bears at ABR, that number has grown.  Another underweight yearling was admitted over the April 17-18 weekend.  This brings the number to 14, and we are out of funds to feed them!  Credit cards are maxed out.  We are in desperate need of dollars for food.  Our curator gives this report of the daily feeding of these young bears:

“Here’s a breakdown of what I feed the bears every day…each group of bears gets a different diet.   In order to have no waste, different diets are prepared for each group each day (we have bears in 6 enclosures: one cub, one cub, one cub, two cubs, three cubs and six cubs).  Some smaller cubs still need special food…others are eating more of a natural diet.  The following list and costs are based on my ability to buy bulk/discount food when the ABR credit card is available.  When I don’t have a company card, I do the best I can to buy bulk and sale items.  Here’s the daily menu at $152.75:

Apples (40 pounds)              $26.00

Carrots (15 pounds)             $15.00

Grapes (5 pounds)               $  8.00

Leaf lettuce (20 heads)        $20.00

Applesauce (8 jars)              $15.75                                                                                                        

Yogurt (8 quarts)                   $16.00

Blueberry pie filling-5 cans (to mix with yogurt or Pedialyte)  $15.00

Pedialyte (as needed)          $ 4.00 each

Dog food (25 pounds)          $ 9.00

Mixed nuts (12 cans)            $24.00

 This amount of food seems like alot, but when you divide it among 14 bears, you can see that I’m really “rationing” as much as possible.  When there is donated food available, I can get the “leftover” to carry to the next day.  When the critical cubs can do without the Pedialyte, yogurt, applesauce, mixed nuts and blueberries, the savings will be substantial.  But, the cubs eating these special foods don’t eat anything else.  Until they are stronger, we can’t let them miss a meal.”   Also, now that there is some “green” naturally, I’m pulling grasses and leaves and offering them  to the larger bears.  These are probably the only natural foods they will find to eat when we release them next month.

As you can see, the situation is dire.  Please send any amount you can (or a gift card, as mentioned previously) to ABR – P.O. Box 364 – Townsend, TN 37882.  You can also donate online at our website www.appalachianbearrescue.org. 

We thank you, and so do the 14 little orphaned bears in our care!