Meet Baloo
Baloo, an American black bear, was in the worst condition of the three cubs rescued with a severely ingrown harness digging into his flesh because it was never loosened as he grew in size. The harness was so ingrown that his flesh had begun to grow over and around it, and surgical intervention was required to remove the harness and clean his deep, infected wounds. During Baloo’s surgery was the only time the three BLT brothers were ever separated from one another, and Shere Khan (tiger) and Leo (lion) became extremely agitated because of it, pacing and vocalizing for the lost member of their family to return. After his surgery, Baloo was returned to his brothers and the three lived together happily for many years, with hardly a quarrel between them. Baloo is a very confident and relaxed bear and will do anything for a sweet treat. American black bears are native to most of North America and vary greatly in both size (the largest recorded was over 800 lbs) and color (can be black, brown, or blonde). They are skilled survivors and have a conservation status of “least concerned” despite the increasing number of human/bear conflicts. Baloo, is the sole surviving member of the BLT trio. Although he misses his brothers, he is a very happy and healthy bear. He celebrated his 20th birthday in July of 2021 with a party, cake, and bubble bath. We love our big boy Baloo!
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