TOWNSEND, Tenn. — According to Appalachian Bear Rescue, Flapjack the bear died on Saturday.
On Tuesday, a curator from ABR noticed Flapjack was having trouble breathing, so they sent a video to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) to see what was wrong. The doctors agreed Flapjack needed medical attention.
The curators planned on isolating and capturing Flapjack to take to UTCVM. They baited the acclimation pen with treats, but Flapjack wouldn’t take the bait.
After trying different ways to lure Flapjack into the pen, a team from UTVCM came to ABR to set up a field hospital in their staging building. According to ABR, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service gave one of their rangers, Ranger Williamson permission to dart Flapjack while in enclosure.
The team rushed Flapjack to the Release Staging building where doctors intubated him to provide oxygen and assist with breathing if necessary, ABR said.
Doctors took X-rays, blood, scat and urine samples and collected fluid from his lungs and tissue from his throat. X-rays showed he had severe pneumonia in both lungs, ABR said.
Doctors then gave Flapjack antibiotics and moved him to the rooms of the Cub House to recover from the immobilization drugs where they could watch him closely. Later, Flapjack had stopped breathing.
The doctors gave him emergency drugs and did compressions but could not be resuscitated, according to ABR.
After Flapjack's death, ABR curators baited another pen of five bears on Saturday and took them to UTCVM for evaluation. They and the doctors think the pneumonia is infectious and the other cubs could have it.
ABR is observing them carefully for any symptoms.
"We’re grateful to the team from UTCVM... and our dedicated curators for trying to save Flapjack," ABR said. "We are indebted to you, our partners in our mission, for helping us offer our little bears the best care possible. We love them from a distance, but we love them fiercely. Rest in peace, Flapjack."
Juggles Bear, ABR's most recent arrival, is doing well, as are the other 13 cubs in residence.