Aster Bear, our little patient who was hit by a car on Sept. 12th, is making great progress.  The curators are testing her to see if she can climb up to the platform in the acclimation pen.  She must be able to climb before she can be released into the Wild Enclosure.  She is passing the test with flying colors, as these photos show.

First, we see that Aster has detected something interesting.

Aster sees something on the climbing pole.

She stretches up to investigate more closely, and to taste the grapes that the curator placed there.

Aster reaches up to get the grapes.

Next we have a closeup of Aster with the grapes.

Yum! Aster eats the grapes.

She has finished off those grapes, but her nose detects more above.

Aster sniffs for more grapes.

Up the pole she goes, to reach the grapes on the platform.

She finds (and eats) more grapes on the platform.

Aster has shown that she is able to climb with ease.  She’s on her way to being with the other cubs in the Wild Enclosure!