The ABR cubs are much less active these days. They are snoozing, sleeping, and resting for a good part of their days. This is what they would be doing if they were in the wild, and is what wild bears are doing now, as they prepare for their long winter’s sleep. Wild bears may still be looking for food and foraging, but the ABR bears have eaten so much that, although they still enjoy their snacks they aren’t by any means “hungry” or desperate for food!

This is Heather, the yearling’s, den or nest. She is snug and cozy, but it is very hard for the curators to see her in the daytime.

The night vision camera illuminates her den. There she is!

She climbed a tree.

Then she slept on the platform for a while. She passes the pear test easily, being the same shape as the fruit.

Concerned about a lump on her nose, the curators lured her inside the Acclimation Pen with donuts. She will go to UT tomorrow so the vets can check the lump.

Nettles Bear was out in the enclosure late at night, foraging and drinking.

Nettles bravely rested on the platform! Perhaps the flying squirrel is a friend of hers.

Nettles has demonstrated increasing bravery recently.

The Fight Club girls have their own nest, and Nettles stays away from that end of the enclosure. Smart bear!

Before Nettles was released into Acclimation Pen #4, Curator Coy improved the safety factors of the platform, ramp, and other features.

Now the Fight Club girls are trying to demolish the ramp. Bear cubs are never appreciative of what is done for them!

Push and pull, they tried to remove the fastenings. So far it is holding. We hope they don’t succeed in tearing it down before they are sent back to their wild homes!

Bear cubs are even more destructive than toddlers!