Wind, Rain, and Bud Bear - Appalachian Bear Rescue

It’s been a windy and rainy day – all the snow is gone, of course. Bears of all ages dislike wind – it makes it hard for them to use those wonderfully sensitive noses and also disrupts their hearing. And so, being bears, their instinct is to climb a tree. Not what we would do, but we aren’t bears.

The wind started first, and Bud had a typical reaction.

Bud approached a tree near his Big Dig, in the corner of his enclosure.

He starts up the tree. Will this tree be large enough to support his weight?

This can’t be comfy for our big yearling!

Bud settles himself on the branches. It doesn’t seem like they will hold him!

Here is a view from a different camera. It still seems precarious to us.

A close-up of Bud on the tree. Those branches look pretty small to support Bud.

As the wind let up, Bud climbed down from his perch.

Almost down. and the tree is still standing!

. . . where he promptly fell asleep! Sound asleep!

Rain started to fall, waking Bud up. He tasted the raindrops and left for his culvert den.

Bud crawled into the middle of the den. Here is his stunt double, because Bud can’t be seen now.

Bud Bear continues to demonstrate his readiness for hibernation. When he is released, which depends on the weather and the wildlife officers, he will probably quickly find a den and spend a couple of months sleeping through the rest of the winter. Watch this space.