The North American Bear Center welcomed two brand new faces to its facility on Wednesday: a pair of Alaskan black bear cubs.
The two cubs are brothers who flew into Minnesota via special transport through Alaska Air Cargo.
“They are just going to be a joy for the staff and for the Ely area,” said senior operations director Scott Edgett. “That will draw business to Ely.”
Edgett has observed much excitement from the public, and he expects a good turnout for the bears throughout the weekend.
Visitor numbers dropped 30% in mid-summer due to wildfire impacts, and Edgett hopes the new cubs will help propel a rebound for the organization, which began to see an increase in drop-ins throughout the second week in August.
“We were kind of concerned about the timing of (the cubs’ arrival). Oh great, we have this fire going on, what’s going to happen there?” Edgett said. “Ultimately, it turned out really well.”
Edgett said the staff are happy to take on the two young cubs, as the Bear Center’s three adult bears have aged.
Before the cubs’ arrival, the Bear Center’s youngest resident was 11-year-old black bear Tasha, who was born in 2015 in Kentucky.
Staff waited about five years for an opportunity such as this to arise.
The cubs represent a high point for Edgett and program director Sharon Herrell, who both plan to retire in October 2027.
“I told her, this is our last hurrah,” Edgett joked.
The young bears will acclimate to the new environment in their own pen from now through winter hibernation. In the spring, staff will introduce the cubs to the Bear Center’s full 2.5acre enclosure and the three other resident bears.
The cubs have demonstrated a calm temperament that Edgett said the Alaskan staff noted as exceptional.
“They are the two most mellow, chilled cubs they had ever seen, and they said they were really going to miss them,” Edgett said.
Edgett would like to extend gratitude to the Alaska Zoo and the Alaska Fish and Wildlife Service, along with the International Wolf Center and the Minnesota Zoo directors, who also provided strong support over the years.
“We have a lot of people to thank,” Edgett said.
The Bear Center is entirely funded by donors and door ticket sales.
Supporters can visit the organization’s website at bear.org if interested in making a financial contribution.
