The three cubs (neonates) are doing well – eating, sleeping, peeing, and pooping as they should. The ABR curators are at their beck and call, 24 hours a day. The cubs must be fed every three hours, and after feeding them, the curators must stimulate them to get rid of waste (pee and poop) by wiping their lower parts with a warm wet wipe. Mother bear would lick them with her warm, wet tongue to accomplish the same thing.

As the repair was started on the gas line under the cabin, the workers found additional damage to the ductwork and the insulation. All of the damage was most likely due to the sow as she prepared and settled into her den. She can’t come back to use the crawlspace again, and the cubs are too small for her to move them. This means a family reunion is practically impossible. Although the word is out to all wildlife managers in the area, as yet there has been no news of a denning, collared female who might become a surrogate mother. The window of opportunity for fostering is short; if not accomplished in the next week or so, it won’t happen. Our fingers are crossed, but in the meantime the curators are being mother bears, all day, every day. Here is a photo that shows the three sisters snuggled together in a cubby pile.

Our 2021 season started off earlier than expected, but we were ready. If the three little girls do become the foundation of our cub class of 2021, it will be fun to watch them grow and change.