Appalachian Bear Rescue is rehabilitating its 282nd rescue, Hartley Bear.
The 13-month-old yearling had been found 'very sick' in a ditch near Black Mountain, Kentucky on Valentine's Day.
The ABR said they took the bear to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine after Kentucky officials trapped him. Hartley Bear weighed just 12 pounds and was very malnourished -- missing fur from his face and legs, and had several abscesses on his body and was infested with ticks.
The ABR wasn't sure the bear would survive, but as of Monday they said his condition is fragile but improving. The yearling has begun eating bear formula regularly, urinating and having bowel movements, and is showing defensive behavior.
"Hartley’s weight, the same as a cub less than half his age, shows he was barely surviving. Life in the wild is often about surviving from one day to the next; thriving is a bonus," the ABR said.
The ABR is holding a special adoption for Hartley to help pay for his care. You can find a link to that here. People can donate $50 to 'adopt' Hartley and receive a baseball tee shirt, a customized adoption certificate, and a Viola Bear ornament while they are still available. The shirt includes paw prints from many of the 2018 ABR cubs.