After a heartbreaking year that saw 13 sick black bear cubs euthanized during a 2024 illness outbreak, Appalachian Bear Rescue in Townsend is edging back toward its core mission. State wildlife officials say a new operating agreement, fresh enclosures, and stricter sanitation routines have lowered the disease risks that forced the pause. If final tests and inspections sign off on the revamped pens, the center will reopen slowly, starting with a small number of cubs.
According to WBIR, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Appalachian Bear Rescue say rehabilitation at the Townsend facility will restart with up to six cubs, with the agency deciding which animals are viable for rehab. TWRA Executive Director Jason Maxedon said the partnership with ABR and the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine "reflects a shared commitment to science‑based stewardship," and officials say the updated procedures are designed to give each cub the strongest possible shot at a healthy release.
New pens and tighter limits
ABR has wrapped up construction on two new "wild enclosures," added electric fencing and installed guillotine doors, and officials told WSMV the pens can hold up to six cubs. Under the new operating agreement, enclosures will be capped at no more than six bears per acre, or three per half‑acre, and groups will not be larger than six bears. TWRA has also backed a target release weight of about 40 pounds before the cubs head back into the wild. ABR leaders say the upgrades, along with an estimated $500,000 price tag for the new pens, are intended to cut disease risks while still sticking with standard rehabilitation practices.
Testing and biosecurity
State biologists collected soil samples from the new enclosures and sent them to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine for testing, WVLT reports. Appalachian Bear Rescue says staff processed roughly 160 samples while they finished the electric fencing, platforms, and other cub‑proofing work. The rescue says enhanced sanitation routines and tougher internal biosecurity measures are now in place. TWRA still has to review those lab results and complete a final inspection before any new cubs arrive.
New intake rules and release plans
Per WBIR, the revised agreement tightens which cubs ABR will accept, putting priority on Tennessee bears and those from Great Smoky Mountains National Park or Big South Fork National Recreation Area. It also allows quadruplet litters to stay together in a half‑acre enclosure. The days of large winter releases are over under the new plan; instead, cubs will be released one by one or in smaller groups once they hit the target weight and clear their health benchmarks. TWRA stressed that its role remains regulatory, and the agency will continue to determine which cubs are fit for both rehabilitation and release.
Appalachian Bear Rescue says it has sent more than 400 black bear cubs back into the wild over roughly 30 years and is rebuilding its facilities and partnerships to match the new requirements. Until the lab results are public and TWRA officially signs off, officials say residents should contact the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for help with orphaned or injured cubs and should not try to handle wild animals on their own.
