As the days go by, the cubs and yearling bear at ABR are growing, as they are supposed to do. They are putting on weight. Remember, Fat is Good, if you are a bear! They need it to see them through their hibernation in winter, during which they won’t eat anything at all!

Because yearlings and cubs in the wild do not come in contact with each other, ABR keeps our cubs and yearling apart. Heather has her own enclosure, to keep her away from the cubs, and keep them away from her. If they were in the wild, Heather would be on her own now, and the cubs would still be with their respective mothers.

Heather sleeps peacefully on her resting platform.

She descends to forage for her breakfast. The breakfast menu includes peanuts, Mazuri bear pellets and two kinds of acorns. Bears are most interested in nuts at this time of year, for the fat and protein they provide.

We can see Heather, in the front enclosure, and cubs in the enclosure next door.

She has a healthy appetite, and is eating very well.

She is a strong and quick tree-climber!

Highland is one of the cubs next door. He is chubbifying nicely!

So is Taco, asleep here in a cubby pile on the resting platform in Enclosure #3.

A rock outcropping is a good place to dig for bugs and their larvae.

Look at the chubbifying cubs in Wild Enclosure #4! They are eating as much and as often as they can.

It’s good to see that all of the ursine residents are getting ready for their hibernation by filling their tummies!