Boudreaux and King B - Appalachian Bear Rescue

Although it is unusual for a male yearling bear to show “romantic” interest in a female bear, Boudreaux Bear has had an abundance of very healthy food during this year at ABR, he is more mature than the average yearling, and the curators had noticed that he was showing great interest in Jessamine, the South Carolina female yearling. So, just to be safe, they decided to move Boudreaux into the enclosure with King B. Here is how that plan worked out.

Step 1 was to entice Boudreaux into the Acclimation Pen for Wild Enclosure #4. It wasn’t hard to do – this bear is all about eating, so they created a trail of apples, and into the Acclimation Pen he went.

Caught! Boudreaux’s tummy was his undoing. He was not happy to be back in the Acclimation Pen.

The curators raised the gate, and used more food treats to entice him into the transport carrier. He was not a happy bear!

Boudreaux was moved to the Acclimation Pen for Wild Enclosure #1. He wandered around, looking for a way out, like any bear would do.

Peanuts! But our boy just wants to get out of here!

The gate to Wild Enclosure #1 is raised, and out he goes.

Boudreaux set out to explore the enclosure.

King B has been used to being all by himself. He was not pleased that this big bear was in HIS kingdom! Typical of a yearling bear, he climbed a tree.

Boudreaux checked out the enclosure thoroughly.

Boudreeaux had the nerve to lie down in King B’s resting spot on the platform!

As we know, bears are solitary animals. Our yearlings have learned to share their space, but it remains to be seen if King B and Boudreaux can work out an amicable arrangement for sharing the enclosure.

Bears are generally not ready to breed until the age of 3 or more. But we’ve had instances before of precocious male yearlings, so better to be safe than sorry. What’s next? Stay tuned.