The yearling bears in Wild Enclosures #1 and #2 are eating a lot and showing good growth since they came to ABR.  Although they still weigh less than a yearling bear in a typical year (lat year was NOT typical) would weigh, they are approaching weights that will allow them to hibernate, if they choose to.  They will be ready for their release into the wild come spring.  Today we will show you some of these healthy young bears.

First, we take a look at some of the residents of Wild Enclosure #1.

Tiny Tim Bear is filling out and looking good.

These little bears were the smallest onsite until the recent arrival of the three who are still in Acclimation Pens (Cedar, Cornelius, and Hazel).  Tiny Tim arrived in November weighing just eleven pounds.  It’s easy to see that he weighs more than that now, after two months of good food.  As a reminder of how far away the curators are when they take photos of the bears, here is this same photo of Tiny Tim without benefit of the zoom lens.

Can you see Tiny Tim up there in the tree? A zoom lens made him seem very close.

Another yearling in Wild Enclosure #1 is Otis Bear, who arrived the first week of January.  He weighed about half of a normal weight for an almost-year-old bear at 26.5 pounds.  He has been eating well and putting on weight.  His fur looks much better now.

Otis Bear is also putting on weight.

Shelby Bear is making good progress.  In this photo, the light shining on her chest gives the illusion of brown fur, but she is a black bear.

Shelby was very small when she arrived at ABR.

This is a picture of a number of the cubs in Wild Enclosure #1.  They are looking plump.

Several of the yearlings in Wild Enclosure #1, foraging together.

In Wild Enclosure #2 we see yearlings who have been with us longer, arriving in late October into November.  They are still putting on weight, too.

Pumpkin Bear is becoming round as a pumpkin.

Chestnut Bear shows her backside to the camera.

Another back view – this time it is Acorn Bear.

Finally, we have an overview of some bears in Wild Enclosure #2.

Most of the yearlings in Wild Enclosure #2 are seen in this photo.

We are very glad that all of these year-old bears are thriving in their Wild Enclosures.  We expect them to continue to put on weight until they feel ready to hibernate.  If and when they do, there are several choices of den sites for them.