TOWNSEND — The Appalachian Bear Rescue is asking for help to build new enclosures for its young rescued animals.
For 2018's Bear Necessities campaign, ABR said it's hoping to raise $75,000 to build new cub houses.
The ABR said its uses the cub houses to protect small bears not ready for its outdoor enclosure and minimize their contact with humans. The ABR said they found other uses for the houses, such as using them to trap and separate individual bears for safe release days.
ABR lead curator Coy Blair said caretakers work to ensure the growing bears aren't to learn where their food is coming from.
"The plan is to get the bear back to the wild. So, our mission is to keep them as wild as they came in. In order to do that, we have to minimize human contact as much as possible," Blair said.
The ABR works to rehabilitate sick and injured cubs in hopes that one day they might be successfully reintegrated into the wild.
People wishing to donate to the Bear Necessities Cub House Campaign can do so at this link. People can also donate by mail to :By mail:
Appalachian Bear Rescue
PO Box 364
Townsend, TN 37882
The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will also perform a benefit concert for ABR on September 23rd in Gatlinburg.