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Cameras Care for Bear Cubs at Appalachian Bear Rescue

Cameras Care for Bear Cubs at Appalachian Bear Rescue 

Did you know that injured bear cubs need to be monitored 24/7?

At Appalachian Bear Rescue, they care for orphaned and injured black bear cubs and yearlings to give them a second chance in nature. 

Per ABR’s permit managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, regulations require a curator to be onsite 24/7 at ABR while bears are present at the facility. Observing bears in their care has traditionally been done by peeking through a blind or from an observation tower during daylight hours.

“Our facility strives to minimize human contact so these animals can go back into the wild.”

Coy Blair, Lead Curator

Unfortunately, limited observation often results in missed opportunities to help the bears. This got us thinking…

What can we do to increase the level of care and decrease human contact?

TECHNOLOGY CHANGES EVERYTHING  

In 2018, Allevia Technology partnered with Appalachian Bear Rescue to transform how they care for their bears.  

By installing cameras at their facility, curators now watch a live video feed to monitor bear activity. These cameras allow curators to reduce contact even further.  Due to remote viewing possibilities, other forms of human contact such as auditory and olfactory forms can be eliminated. Given a bear’s sense of smell, this is great.

“Having cameras has honestly transformed the bear care procedures here.”

Coy Blair, Lead Curator

Monitoring the bears online allows curators to observe the exact time bears eat, drink, and take their medication. By accurately documenting these activities, Coy is able to better serve each bear at the right time.

“If we see that a bear is sick, we know pretty quickly because of the cameras. Before cameras, we may catch it during daily observations, but if it happens at a random time we could miss it.”

Coy Blair, Lead Curator

STORMS KNOCK OUT CAMERAS

In early May, strong storms rolled through East Tennessee. Coy stayed all night onsite to make sure the cubs were safe. Around 5:20 AM, Coy heard a loud pop.

“I never saw anything, but I knew it was close. I walked around all the enclosures to make sure everything was secure. The next morning I found that every camera in our facility was down.”

“If we see that a bear is sick, we know pretty quickly because of the cameras. Before cameras, we may catch it during daily observations, but if it happens at a random time we could miss it.”

Coy Blair, Lead Curator
Lightning damaged four switches, two cameras, an internet modem, the control board for the entrance gate, and a large monitor.

“With three young black bear cubs in our care, we need the camera system and the internet to ensure they are well taken care of and remaining healthy.”

Coy Blair, Lead Curator

CAMERAS RESTORED

Coy quickly called Allevia Technology to take a look at the damage and evaluate their network.

“Archer was quick to come out here. He got us up and going with our main cameras so we could see the bears. He assessed the damage and made a plan to order new equipment and to install it,”

Coy Blair, Lead Curator

When we respond to a call for help, we think of ourselves as a part of your team. Our mission is to support you and help you fulfill your mission.

Coy said, “You made a difference with bears today.”

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE WIN

Cameras support the cubs in more ways than one. Weekly photos and videos allow Appalachian Bear Rescue to expand their reach on social media. 

Who wouldn’t love seeing pictures of an adorable bear cub? 

Through social media, Appalachian Bear Rescue is able to share their mission, educate people across the country, and raise money.

“We rely heavily on donations and we typically do not receive government funding. These cameras have blown up our ability to fundraise on social media.”

Coy Blair, Lead Curator
We love working with Appalachian Bear Rescue and encourage you to follow them on social media!

LEARN MORE

Visit: www.appalachianbearrescue.org   

Facebook: Appalachian Bear Rescue 

Instagram: @appalachianbearrescue

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Stefan Wilson

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