In a heartening turn of events this week, the Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR) has taken in two orphaned bear cubs in Townsend after their mother was tragically killed in a traffic accident on Wednesday. The incident occurred on a treacherous stretch of Highway 321 known for its poor visibility, where the mother bear was struck, leaving her cubs vulnerable.
ABR relayed through a Facebook post that they found two small bear cubs near the scene, with one, named Scruffy, weighing only 12.76 pounds, found early Thursday and the other cub, fondly named Rags, captured later that same week near their deceased mother's body. Rags weighed in at just 9.24 pounds, according to WVLT.
As reported by WBIR, Scruffy, also referred to as ABR 423, was the first to be rescued, having been found trapped around 2:30 a.m. The cub was checked at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, confirming his healthy condition despite being considerably smaller than other cubs at the rescue facility.
Rags, the other orphaned sibling, was taken to the same facility as his brother, where he enjoyed his first night's rest at the ABR's Hartley House and was given several small meals – his temporary respite in the sanctuary of sorts. Rags Bear arrived slightly anemic with a small wound on his back, being treated with antibiotics and regular deworming medication, notwithstanding the fact he is in good shape overall.
