We’ll take a break from the release posts (we still have to do another one) for updates on three of the bears at ABR.

As the title says, little cub Finnegan Bear has moved out of the Cub Nursery and into The Cub House.  He has shown that he is able (if not always eager) to lap formula from a bowl, and The Cub House gives him more room to play and explore.  He still has access to the cub feeder, at least for now.  Curators must wean cubs from the bottle at a very early age in order to continue to minimize human contact.

Finnegan Bear has more space in The Cub House.

He removed the towels with which the curators lined his culvert den.  He had his own idea about what would be comfortable.  His toy bears are near his feeding bowls.  Perhaps he is trying to share his food?

Finnegan is growing and getting plump. He has made great progress.

He likes his formula, which is now mixed with mashed blueberries.

Our most recent arrival, the yearling #253, Wily Bear, is adjusting to the Acclimation Pen.  He retreats to the upper tier of his jungle gym when he senses the curator’s presence.  Good wild bear behavior!

Wily Bear doesn’t want the curator to see him.

Amazing as it seems, Finnegan is catching up to Wily, weight wise.  Curator Coy says that Finnegan is around 10 pounds now, and Wily came in weighing only 18 pounds.  Remember that Finnegan is only two and one-half months old, and Wily is fourteen and one-half months old.

We have a photo of another yearling – here is Bailey Bear in her Wild Enclosure.  She will be released as soon as we are able to orchestrate additional releases.  Bailey looks good.

Bailey forages in the Wild Enclosure. She is a healthy yearling.

In our next post we will share the remaining releases that took place on April 14th.