After an 18 month hiatus, Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR) returned to rescuing black bear cubs in Spring of 2026.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), the National Park Service (NPS), and ABR collaborate to rehabilitate orphaned black bear cubs from Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Big South Fork National Recreation Area. Initially, ABR will have capacity to accept six black bear cubs in newly constructed pens at their facility in Townsend, TN, with the expectation of growth alongside TWRA and NPS.

We hope you enjoy learning about all the bears that have received a second chance at Appalachian Bear Rescue!

CLICK HERE to Symbolically Adopt Current Cubs

2026 CUBS

On July 28, 2026, Bear #427, Hemlock, came into our care. Hemlock is a male who weighed only 7.7 pounds (3.5kg) at the time of rescue. Although healthy cubs should weigh closer to 20 pounds (9kg) in July, the vets at UTCVM gave this little bear a great prognosis. Hemlock also had a good appetite based on the fact that before being successfully caught, the little bear ate all of the pound cake TWRA Officer David Sexton had in his truck as well as the bologna sandwich he had packed for lunch (thank you for your lunch sacrifice, Officer Sexton). Bear #427 was discharged into ABR’s care with a prescription of the normal round of deworming medications and a plan for a short refeeding diet due to his underweight condition. He spent the next few weeks in Hartley House until he reached an appropriate weight and consumption of solid foods. Then, he’s ready to go out into our newest Wild Enclosures 5 & 6.

On August 6, 2026, Bear #429, Quince, came into our care alongside his three sisters after their mother was struck and killed by a vehicle near the Historic Mt. Carmel Community in Washington County, Tennessee. Quince is a male who weighed only 12 pounds (5.4kg) at the time of rescue. Like his smaller sister Redbud, Quince was underweight for a cub a little over six months old, but otherwise appeared healthy and strong. TWRA’s Dan Gibbs spent the night successfully trapping all four orphaned siblings before transporting them to ABR the following morning. Quince was then taken to UTCVM, where he received a complete examination, parasite removal, and a clean bill of health from the veterinary team. Bear #429 returned to ABR with the normal round of deworming medications and some catching up to do before joining the larger cubs. After a short observation period, Quince and Redbud will be introduced to Hemlock before eventually moving together into Wild Enclosures 5 & 6.

On August 6, 2026, Bear #431, Wintergreen, came into our care alongside her three siblings after their mother was struck and killed by a vehicle near the Historic Mt. Carmel Community in Washington County, Tennessee. Wintergreen is a female who weighed a healthy 19 pounds (8.7kg) at the time of rescue, making her the largest of the four siblings. She also proved to be the trickiest to catch! Wintergreen repeatedly ventured near and even inside the trap for bait without triggering it before eventually climbing a tree for a nap. TWRA’s Dan Gibbs patiently waited until the early morning hours, when she was finally caught around sunrise. At UTCVM, the strong and feisty young bear received a complete examination, parasite removal, and a clean bill of health. Bear #431 returned to ABR with the normal round of deworming medications and will remain under observation with her siblings as they acclimate, grow stronger, and prepare for their eventual move into Wild Enclosures 5 & 6.

CLICK HERE to Symbolically Adopt Current Cubs

On August 6, 2026, Bear #428, Redbud, came into our care alongside her three siblings after their mother was struck and killed by a vehicle near the Historic Mt. Carmel Community in Washington County, Tennessee. Redbud is a female who weighed only 10 pounds (4.6kg) at the time of rescue. Although small for a cub a little over six months old, Redbud appeared healthy, and some weight variation is normal among four siblings competing for the same milk supply. TWRA’s Dan Gibbs worked through the night to successfully trap Redbud and her siblings before transporting all four to ABR. The following morning, Redbud received a complete examination at UTCVM, where veterinarians removed parasites and gave her a clean bill of health. Bear #428 returned to ABR with the normal round of deworming medications and a plan to help her gain some much-needed weight.

On August 6, 2026, Bear #430, Marsh, came into our care alongside her three siblings after their mother was struck and killed by a vehicle near the Historic Mt. Carmel Community in Washington County, Tennessee. Marsh is a female who weighed a healthy 18 pounds (8.2kg) at the time of rescue. At a little over six months old, she was considerably larger than siblings Redbud and Quince, but weight differences like these are normal in a litter of four cubs all competing for the same milk supply. TWRA’s Dan Gibbs spent the night successfully trapping the four orphaned siblings before transporting them safely to ABR. The following morning, Marsh received a complete examination at UTCVM, where veterinarians removed parasites and gave her a clean bill of health. Bear #430 returned to ABR with the normal round of deworming medications and will remain under observation as she acclimates to her new surroundings before joining the other cubs and eventually heading into Wild Enclosures 5 & 6.

On August 27, 2026, Bear #432, Poplar, came into our care after being found unconscious along Highway 321 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cosby, Tennessee. Poplar is a male who weighed a healthy 25 pounds (11.3kg) at the time of rescue and is believed to have been struck by a vehicle. After beginning to stir, he was transported by NPS Ranger Ryan Williamson to UTCVM, where veterinarians diagnosed signs of a concussion and kept him overnight for observation, fluids, and pain medication. Fortunately, Poplar steadily improved and was cleared to continue his recovery at ABR. Despite being a little wobbly on his paws, Bear #432 arrived with a great appetite, immediately polishing off his formula before moving on to his fruit! Easily recognizable by the white blaze on his chest and single blue ear tag, Poplar will spend the next few weeks resting in Hartley House while curators closely monitor his recovery. Veterinarians have given this resilient little bear a good prognosis as he continues growing stronger.