Fortress of the Bears, Sitka, Alaska September 2018

Another of the forms of wildlife people go to Alaska to see is their bears. Both Brown and Black Bears. And Grizzlies of course! We were fortunate enough NOT to see any bears while we were hiking, LOL, although two trails had parts blocked off because of 'recent bear activity,' so it is possible for hikers to run into them on the paths. Using your binoculars while on the ship or smaller boats is the best way to view them in the wild.
We did tour an amazing place called the 'Fortress of the Bears.' in Sitka. In Alaska, once a mother bear is killed, it is the law that her cubs must also be killed. They can become nuisance bears easily. So, some bear lovers started this amazing place, 'The Fortress of the Bear,' and became licensed to take in these unwanted cubs. Currently the law prevents them from ever being released, so they will live out their lives here. This is currently their only option other than death.
The Fortress is an amazing place, they keep the habitat as natural as possible, they study the bears and teach them simple behaviors (not tricks) to be able to keep an eye on them. For example, the command 'foot' is taught so that the bears will raise their paws and the volunteers can inspect them for damage to the pads, claws or other problems.
We were able to spend over half an hour with them and they could use some support to build larger enclosures and save move bears. They are on

Facebook.  One of the activities they do with the bears is paint. This is to help them become comfortable with having their paws touched and hopefully to enable the blood taking task to be easier. You can purchase their paintings online to support the bears. 
this one almost came back with me. There are photos and other info about the 'bear artist' on the back.



When we were there they had just (20 days) gotten in a pair of 6-month-old bear cubs and they were simply adorable. I have some pics and video of them for you.
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IMG_4901 this is a video of the bear cubs

Now, here's a quiz for you - this is a treat they use for the bears to get them to come closer when they need to examine them - WHAT is it?










More photos.
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Some high Resolution Photos
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Please check out my YouTube Channel for more Videos of the bears and more from my Alaska Cruise. Hit Subscribe to do me a favor.