Yesterday we announced the great news that Yearling Heather Bear had been released back into the wild. We start today with a photo of Heather at the UTCVM, being examined before her release. This shows how big our yearling actually is, as it’s hard to get that perspective when the bears are out and about at ABR.

Heather is a good-sized bear with a healthy coat that will keep her warm during the winter.

This last photo shows her just after she was released and climbed a tree.

She is at home again. We wish her a long, happy life: a cozy den and then many years of good food, trees to climb, and, eventually, cubs of her own. Good Bye and Good Luck, Heather!

Meanwhile, back at ABR:

In Acclimation Pen #3, Thistle investigates the water tub. The Curators put water tubs in the pens during the freeze a week ago when the water tub and Cubby Pool were frozen.

Sploosh! Uh-oh – Run!

The cubs all run to safety in the corner.

One brave cub volunteers to fix it.

Done! It’s fixed now! Hahaha!

The Fight Club girls in Enclosure #4 are waking up and starting the day.

But in Wild Enclosure #1, the four chonky cubs are still in their culvert den. We wonder if they are actually hibernating now! They seem to stay in their den a lot!

We will be watching as the various groups of cubs are prepared for their releases. Watch this space!