Dash Bear is Finally Home! - Appalachian Bear Rescue

In our last post we reviewed the ABR life of Dash Bear from September 4th when she arrived with a wired jaw after surgery at UTCVM. She had been hit by a car and required rest time and a special diet, so she went to the Red Roof Recovery Center. Because bears invariably heal very quickly, she was able to enter Wild Enclosure #3 within about a month. She and the much smaller Piccola were together in that enclosure, eventually becoming friends.

When the curators opened the gates to Acclimation Pens, to begin the passive capture of the cubs to prepare for their releases, Dash was the only cub that refused to enter. She remained outside as one by one the other 8 cubs were worked up and released. But on December 22nd, the Cubby birthday, when she turned 11 months old, Dash finally did enter the Acclimation Pen.

TWRA officer Sterling Daniels covers Dash’s eyes as she is worked up.

Curator Tom took measurements and paw prints.She weighed 100 pounds, gaining 67 pounds in 3months.

Dash’s paw was the size of Curator Janet’s hand.

When her temperature dropped, Dash was put on a heating pad and covered with blankets.

After a shot of the reversal drug, Dash started to wake up, so she was quickly carried to the transport carrier.

Tom and Sterling place Dash on a bed of cedar chips.

What a beauty! Dash was ready to go “home for the holidays!”

We wish Dash Bear a happy and healthy life in the wild, and hope she is able to stay away from humans!