Today we have a video – the Facebook Live update on our two bears, Tartan the yearling and Taco the cub. Joining Curator Tori for the update are Head Curator Coy and Assistant Curator Bailey. The update includes photos and video of both bears as well as information about what is going on in the bear world – for example, the soft mast in the wild that will soon be ripening, making it possible to release our yearling back into his wild habitat in the national park. Click here to see and hear the curators and enjoy their information about Tartan and Taco Bear.
May 21, 2022
May 19, 2022
Both Tartan, our yearling, and Taco, our COY (Cub of the Year) are eating well and growing like weeds (or should we say, like bears?) Out in the wild enclosure, Tartan Bear finds all the tasty and nutritious foods that the curators throw over the fence for him. He is a very good forager!


Meanwhile, Taco Bear zooms around his rooms in the Hartley House like a small tornado. It’s hard to capture him on the camera because he’s constantly in motion.


You may be interested in learning about the contrasts between American black bears (like Tartan and Taco) and the brown or grizzly bears who also live in the US, though in a different part of the country. Brown bears’ habitat is in the western US: in Alaska and the Rocky Mountain states primarily. In coordination with the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, a program is being presented that is free to attend for anyone who is interested.

Since the program will be recorded, you probably can view it later, at a time that is convenient for you. Check it out!
May 16, 2022
Tartan Bear has shown that peanuts are his fave. But he’s not alone in that opinion. Several other feathery and furry residents of the Wild Enclosure who share the space with him, enjoy the bounty of peanuts right along with Tartan, as you will see in this short video. Click here to enjoy the snack fest.
May 15, 2022
Taco has been at ABR for ten days now, having arrived on Cinco de Mayo. The curators offer a variety of foods to see which one(s) a little cub prefers. Turns out that Taco’s favorite is yogurt! He has gained a pound in just over a week, and yogurt (full fat version) is undoubtedly one reason. So today we have a short video of Taco Bear slurping a yogurt smoothie from his bowl. He cleaned it out! That took place late at night. In the morning, the little cub woke up playing with his Not a Polar Bear and trilling his pleasure. Trilling is the happy sound that young cubs make when nursing, or when they are extremely contented. Click here to see – and hear – Taco Bear.
May 14, 2022
It rained and Tartan Bear, our yearling in the wild enclosure, spent the night in the tree, as is customary for little bears, who feel safest there. When the rain stopped, he came down to eat.







We can see that our two bears are doing well in terms of their growth and development. Watch for new updates to come.
May 13, 2022
Our last post was an update on our two bears – yearling Tartan Bear and cubby Taco Bear, presented by Executive Director, Dana Dodd and Head Curator Coy Blair. Curator Tori, who usually does the Facebook Live posts, is taking a vacation, so Coy and Dana filled in. They are doing that again today, and you’ll enjoy their commentary. Coy gives good explanations of the thinking behind some of the decisions they make regarding various aspects of bear care. Our next post will be the standard model with photos and descriptions.
Click here to see (and hear, in the case of Taco Bear) how our bears are coming along.
May 12, 2022
Update from Curator Coy and Dana
Posted by kathyanne under Bear Feature Stories & PhotosLeave a Comment
Today we have a special Facebook Live for you. Executive Director Dana Dodd and Head Curator Coy Blair presented the program because Curator Tori is on vacation. It’s good to hear Coy’s explanation of various scenes and of the behavior shown by yearling Tartan Bear and Cub of the Year Taco Bear. As always, the footage showing the bears is most enjoyable. Seeing Taco react to some new things in his room in the Hartley House is really humorous, as he seems to be afraid of the enrichment items at first, and did just what we might expect of a bigger, older bear.
Both of the bears are making good progress and doing well, and we can continue to enjoy their growth and development. Click here to watch the video.
May 10, 2022
Taco the bear cub is busy in his Hartley House rooms. It’s amazing how hard he works to accomplish a goal. This story began during the night, when we find Taco sleeping, as usual, on his “Not a Polar Bear.”






Meanwhile, Tartan Bear remained on his branch in the tree.

This was an interesting contrast in behavior, between the hard-working cub and the lazy yearling. What is next? No telling with young bears.
May 9, 2022
It’s been a few days, but we thought you would like to see how three-month-old Taco Bear did at his intake exam at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. Spoiler alert: he did well!




The little cub is eating well, eliminating properly, and seems to be headed in the right direction to grow and thrive at ABR!
May 8, 2022
It was a very rainy day. Cubby Taco Bear is inside the Hartley House, so the rain has no effect on him. Yearling Tartan is outside in Wild Enclosure #2, and as usual he chose to remain on his favorite branch in his favorite tree to sleep during the storm.

Meanwhile, Taco Bear is in his safe, dry room in Hartley House . . .




For such a tiny little cub, Taco Bear is showing some good skills already. We are sorry that he lost his mama, but we’re looking forward to watching him grow and develop at ABR. Stay tuned.