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Kodiak Cubs Doing well After Surgery
With assistance from bear experts and vetrenarians, AWCC staff preformed surgery on the two Kodiak Brown Bears that were rescued last year around this time. The two cubs were neutered and spayed, which helps settle them down, and keeps wild bears from entering the facility.
The cubs are doing well, and have recovered from the surgery. They are awake, and are not expected to hibernate this winter, so AWCC staff encourages you to visit them this winter! The cubs are set to be transfered to a facility in Sweden sometime this summer, so be sure to come down and see them!
There are more images of the surgery on our flickr page.
Kodiak Cubs Rescued by AWCC
On November 12th 2010, AWCC took possession of a Kodiak brown bear cub that had been orphaned on Kodiak Island, AK and captured by State Fish & Game biologist Larry Van Daele. The cub was lightly sedated and shipped to Anchorage via Northern Air Cargo, where it was picked up at Ted Stevens International Airport by AWCC staff. After getting used to it's surroundings, Taquoka (Alutiiq for "bear") began his training with Jordan Schaul of AWCC. Jordan worked with Taquoka to make him more 
comfortable with his surroundings and to be easier to handle. More information on Jordan's work with the bear can be found on the National Geographic blog here.
Shortly thereafter, another cub was orphaned and rescued from Kodiak Island, something Larry Van Daele from Fish and Game states is highly unusual. "It almost never happens that you find a cub this age on its own in December,” Van Daele said. “Almost no bears are awake right now. The last time we sent a cub off the island was in 1999, other than the one three weeks ago.”
Again, the cub was sent from Kodiak to Anchorage via Northern Air Cargo, and brought to AWCC by center staff. Again, getting a clean bill of health and after getting used to her surroundings, Shaguyik (an Eskimo word, literally meaning "ghost" or "shadow") began her training with Jordan. She continues to do well, and both bears continue their exposure to their new enclosure and their work with Jordan to allow them to be handled easier as they get older.
AWCC is working with facilities nation-wide and world-wide to place these animals. Taking in a bear cub is a life long commitment, and AWCC has very stringent guidelines as to what type of a facility the Portage non profit will release animals to.
Where the cubs are not on display regularly, they are out and about in their enclosure throughout the day. We will keep you posted as to when they will be out on a regular basis for viewing.