Visitors Not Welcome - Appalachian Bear Rescue

Because ABR is right in the middle of bear country, we often have bear visitors coming through. Undoubtedly, the smells of the foods that are put out for the cubs are the big attraction for “visitor bears.” The cubs, with their sensitive noses, are aware of strangers in the area, and often react by climbing trees for safety, as they would in the wild. A couple of days ago, a mother bear who had brought her cub family by earlier in the year, strolled through the property again.

This visitor Mama looks healthy. She must have been having a good year.

One of her two cubs looks healthy, also. His weight is estimated to be around 50 pounds, which is a good weight for a wild cub. Our cubs are probably more than that, but they have had a more enriched diet.

In both Wild Enclosures, the ABR cubs scurried up trees.

After the visitors had left, Bourbon came down to forage.

All four cubs in Wild Enclosure #4 slept together on the platform.

Thanks to their good diet, the cubs look as though they’ve been polished! They haven’t.

During hyperphagia bears drink copious amounts of water.

Porter Bear strolls by the pool. Does he see his reflection?

The two brothers slept in daybeds near their favorite tree.

In Hartley House, Bud Bear slept on his bed.

He is still on antibiotics, which are served separately from his food, so the curators can be sure he took the meds. The mixture of honey and yogurt makes the meds a treat!

The three boys in Enclosure 3 slept on the platform, while Lemon Drop slept on a daybed nearby.

Fat. chonky, chubby cubs. Healthy and soon to be ready for release!