Townsend Appalachian Bear Center

A helping hand for a needy paw
Townsend’s Appalachian Bear Center

RG Williams
ValleyVoice

Just Before March 31st, 2002, a forest fire blazed in ,next door Cocke County, TN., A female bear, caught in the blaze, was moving her cubs from one den to another due to the fire. In the process of moving the cubs, the fire fighting activity became too much for the female and she retreated, leaving her two cubs to fend for themselves. Several Forest Service fire fighters found the cub’s and TWRA was contacted. Once the Wildlife Officer arrived on the scene he placed the cubs back in the same place hoping that the female would return for them. Unfortunately, the amount of activity in the area was too great and she did not return.
At this point it was decided to call the Appalachian Bear Rescue Center or, ABC.
The ABC’s website at www.appalachianbearrescue.org, defines the centers mission as follows: “To rehabilitate orphaned and injured bears for release to the wild; to educate the public about black bears and the regional threats facing them; and to research bear attributes which may help solve other environmental or health related issues.”
The centers present curator, Lisa Stewart, was hired in the Spring of 2003, though the center was unofficially “born” July 31, 1990.
Originally organized to help orphaned cubs from the Smokies, the first guest, “zero” did not arrive until 1996, after the building of a $35,000 fenced habitat to care for the bears.
The centers process is dependant on the bears completely being blocked from human interaction.Upon introduction to the bear enclosure, the cubs no longer see humans or receive any human contact (unless medical attention is required). The enclosure’s fence is covered with an 8’ black blind which blocks the cubs’ view of humans or unnatural sights. Food is tossed over the fence and scattered so the cubs must forage in a natural manner.
The cubs’ diet consists of fruits, berries, nuts and some vegetables that are similar to the natural diet they will find in their wild habitat. Guidelines from TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency), state that bear cubs must weigh at least 60 pounds before they can sustain themselves in the wild.
ABR’s procedure is to make sure the cubs have attained that weight and that they also exhibit normal foraging behavior, interacting/vocalizing with other cubs and climbing skills. The cubs should exhibit positive bear behavior by staying in the trees during the day and descending to eat at night. If the cubs are moving around for short periods of time during the day, they should immediately retreat to the trees when they hear unusual noises or smell unusual odors.
The goal at ABR is to make sure bears don’t want to associate with people on any level. During their months in residence with no human contact, the cubs are naturally cautious and afraid of people and retreat to the trees for safety if they hear humans or strange sounds. This is the reason ABR does not have visitors.
When all of the above-mentioned criteria are met, cubs are prepared for release. Cubs admitted from the National Park area will be returned to a location in the Park, as close as possible to their origination. Cubs admitted from Tennessee but outside the National Park, will be released in one of the TWRA wildlife management areas that offer thousands of acres of plentiful food, water and safe habitat. Cubs admitted from out-of-state wildlife agencies will be returned to their home states.
ABC’s success has led to many other states around the south seeking help for their sick, malnourished bear cubs. To date the center has assisted more than 95 bears to return to the wild. The centers exact location is a secret, not only do the bears need their privacy for full recuperations, but Tennessee law actually states that bears housed in rehabilitation facilities shall not be exhibited nor come into public contact under any circumstances. To keep track of the bears at the facility it is recommended that you visit the centers website.

How can I help ABR?

As a nonprofit organization, any cash donation made is likely going to be tax- deductible.
ABR also needs donations of food for our bears. In the late summer of each year, we collect fruit,such as apples and pears, at various locations. In the fall, we ask for acorns and hickory nuts to feed the bears.
volunteers are always needed for one project or another. Running an organization of this sort requires a lot of organization. We need volunteers to help at several events throughout the year.
Please keep checking our websitesite as well as our blog.
And what of the cubs we mentioned at the beginning of the story, the two orphaned by fire?
These cubs, names “Ash”, and “ember” were brought to the Center weighing 4 and 4.5 pounds. The cubs were fed a special milk replacer every four hours, 24 hours a day. The need to find a wild female to foster these cubs was very apparent. ABC staff knew that work had to happen quickly, as females would soon be moving out of their dens and then locating them would be very difficult.
It was decided to place the cubs with two females who had been located earlier in the winter. We were hoping that they were still in the same dens and that we could place Ash and Ember successfully. Ash went first, to a part of the Park near White Oak Sinks.
After a strenuous hike the Wildlife Officers located the den. Using a long pole they placed Ash in the den, even applying Vick's Vapo Rub to her head to mask the human scent!
Ember was taken to her new den the next day. Once it was confirmed that the female was still inside the den, Ember was also given the Vick's treatment, placed inside a mesh bag and hoisted up to a Grad student waiting near the den. Everything went smoothly and within 15 minutes, Ember was nursing from her new mother. The female was cleaning the Vic's off of Ember's head, accepting her as her own.
Visit the center online at www.appalachianbearrescue.org