In just a month, our three-month-old cub Finnegan Bear has progressed from being a not-quite-3-pound cub needing bottle feeding to being a (approximately) 15-pound cub eating on his own and exploring his environment!  We’re sure you’ll agree that this is a lot of progress.  He has developed much faster than would be the case if he were still with his mother.  Our curators must hasten the growing up process to avoid any possibility of habituation or bonding with humans.

We saw Finnegan in The Cub House, where he interacted with his stuffed animal companions and learned to climb on the logs.  Curator Coy decided it was time for Finnegan to experience the next stage at ABR – the Acclimation Pen.  It is attached to The Cub House, and is an outdoor environment, so Finnegan can see, hear, and smell the outdoors and the Wild Enclosure where he will grow and learn to be a wild bear.  When the time is right for that next (and final) stage the curator will simply lift the gate remotely, allowing him to step out into the Wild Enclosure.

For now, however, Finnegan is just experiencing the outdoors from inside the Acclimation Pen.  He wasn’t too sure about this new, larger space that suddenly caused his little world to double in size.  It took him a day to actually go into the Acclimation Pen, even though Coy put Finnegan’s toys, bed, and even his log den out there for him.  Being a curious little cub, he did venture out and we are sure he will soon feel very much at home there.  He didn’t lose his enthusiasm for eating – as he eagerly consumed his food in the new place.

Here are a couple of photos of Finnegan in the Acclimation Pen.

Finnegan didn’t know what to make of the new, outdoor space.

His appetite was not at all diminished. We can see he’s eaten almost all of his food.

Meanwhile, here are new images of some of our yearlings who are out in Wild Enclosures.

Milo Bear is still with us. He is very comfortable in his tree, and is in no hurry to leave.

Skipper Bear is doing well. He has come a long way since his admittance as an 8-pounder.

Wily is looking better and appears to be putting on badly-needed weight.

Alonzo didn’t appear this time, but we can be assured he is also doing very well.