ABR has admitted our first 2018 cub – a three-month-old female – #268, nicknamed Clementine Bear.  She was rescued from the Nolichucky River on April 29th.  We’ll post her  dramatic rescue story, but first we want to introduce our newest resident.  As usual, Clementine Bear went to the UT College of Veterinary Medicine for her initial checkup.  She weighs just 5.5 pounds, a normal weight for her age.  Here are the first photos of this tiny cub.

Clementine Bear in her rescue carrier on her way to ABR.

Clementine Bear at the UT Vet School.

Examination by Dr. McEntire and his team.

Clementine’s baby teeth are starting to come in.

The result of the exam is that the little cub is quite healthy.  Fluids were administered and Curator Coy took her back to the Cub Nursery at ABR.  Good news was that she is able to lap formula out of a bowl, eliminating the need to bottle feed her, which requires more interaction between curators and cub.

We’ve become used to seeing 100-pound April Bear, so this 5.5 cub is quite a contrast.  She will be staying at ABR for a few months, while she gains weight and learns bear skills that her mother would have taught her, had they not become separated.