Meet Sugar Bear, Our Black Bear

Sugar Bear is a black bear that was transferred to Lions Tigers & Bears in August 2012. He was rescued from an unaccredited sanctuary in Ohio that was closed due to a lack of funding. Sugar Bear was one of 32 animals living at the Ohio facility, named Rescue One. The facility also had lions, tigers, and other exotics. The Lions Tigers & Bears Rescue Team, led by Bobbi Brink, our Founder/Director, coordinated the massive rescue and relocation of all 32 animals from Rescue One to reputable sanctuaries across the United States.

Upon arriving Lions Tigers & Bears, Sugar Bear was neutered, had a dental check up, and spent several weeks adjusting to his own "bedroom" in our shared black bear habitat. He was closely monitored and kept in quarantine until he was ready to meet the other rescued bears sharing his new home, a process known as "natural integration." Sugar Bear was slow to venture out of his bear bedroom at first because, for the previous five years, he had known only the concrete floor and small surroundings of his Ohio corn crib cage. He was not used to sun or dirt, so he had to adjust slowly to life in a natural habitat. In order to coax him out, food trails were used to lead him into the bear habitat.

Now Sugar Bear is a fully-integrated member of his black bear family and he loves life at the sanctuary. Today he shares his habitat with Meatball, Blossom, Delilah, Maddie and Liberty.