Meet Holly – Born 2013
Holly, our oldest female black bear, was born in the wild in Arkansas in January 2013. On March 12 of that year, a fire separated her from her mother. A man found her singed and too young to walk.
He raised her until September when Arkansas wildlife officials sent her to Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR) to prepare her for release into the wild. However, in December, Arkansas officials determined she should not be returned to the wild. They contacted the North American Bear Center, and Holly arrived here at her new “forever home” on December 27, 2013.
One reason the NABC was happy to accept Holly, a southern bear, is that she probably carries northern genes. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Arkansas bear population was under 50 individuals, so Arkansas imported over 250 black bears from Manitoba and here in northeastern Minnesota. Their population has now grown to around 3,000.
Holly at base of tree - June 2014
Holly posing - Aug. 2014
Holly resting on log - July 2014
Holly by logs - Aug. 2014
Holly by lush vegetation - Aug. 2014
Holly hugging a tree - April 2015
Holly by waterfalls - Aug. 2014
Holly cub in large bunker den her first winter at the NABC - Jan. 2014
Holly eating grapes - Aug. 2014
Holly hears a hare - May 2015
Holly in den Nov. 2014
Holly in flowers - Aug. 2014
Holly posing - May 2018
Holly in Pat Tree - April 2015
Holly in Pat tree - June 2014
Holly in spring - May 2018
Holly intent - Aug. 2014
Holly intently looking - May 2017
Holly in tree with feeder - April 2015
Holly on birch - June 2015
Holly on falls - April 2015
Holly on rock in the mound area - May 2018
Holly on rocks - May 2015
Holly playing - May 2018
Holly profile - June 2014
Holly's feet - April 2014
Holly shaking off water - Aug. 2014
Holly's paw. Black bear have curved claws that are suited for climbing. - April 2014
Holly standing, notice she has a few white hairs on her chest - June 2014
Holly standing up in brush to get a better look - April 2015
Holly turned away - May 2018
Holly under log - July 2014
Holly on alert - June 2014
Holly walking on log - July 2014
Holly walking - May 2018
Holly with tree buds - May 2017
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