Before the cubs can be released into the Wild Enclosure, they must be weaned off of the bear milk replacement formula they have been eating since their arrival. With that in mind, the curators are introducing them to solid foods like fruits, yogurt, and cereal. Bears eat many different kinds of fruit, and the cubs have been introduced to chopped up cherries and blueberries, added to their formula. The consensus is that these new foods are yummy!
We begin with the Hartley House cubs asleep.
Siblings Dumplin’ and Tweetsie are on the hammock, while Ferdinand sleeps underneath.The cubs have dashed into the other room as the curator arrived to clean.Cleaning takes place while the cubs are absent. Cedar chips are swept out; dining area is cleaned. Dinner is served. Come on in, cubs!The cubs arrive and go straight to the bowls. Ferdinand tries to move the “anti-spillage-device” aka, rock.The rock doesn’t move! Just give him time. He will succeed before too long. Bears, even cubs, are strong, After dinner the cubs do their happy dance.The next morning, breakfast includes blueberries.Cubs agree – the blueberries are delicious!One cub is down for the count while another cub cleans out one of the bowls.
It’s not surprising that the cubs are enjoying the cherries and blueberries. These are among the favorite summer foods of bears. The cubs are growing up!
