Another bear hit by car, taken to Appalachian Bear Rescue for recovery
The bear now known as Twinkle Bear is recovering at ABR
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Tuesday evening, wildlife officials from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park reported that a small bear cub was hit by a car and was being transported to Appalachian Bear Rescue.
According to wildlife officials, after the accident, the bear fell a short distance from a tree into a stream, and swam to the bank, crawling under a rocky outcrop near the base of the tree.
To reach the bear, wildlife rangers reportedly had to get in under the rocks to pull the bear to safety. Rangers then rushed the bear cub to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM) for treatment.
After a thorough examination and multiple X-rays, it was determined the cub had not suffered injuries from the vehicle collision and staff did not find any broken bones.
The bear cub was given anti-inflammatories as a preventative measure. The cub is emaciated and weighs only 13 pounds.
There were no other reports of bear sightings in the area. ABR believes the cub could have been orphaned earlier in the year.
The cub is now resting and recovering at the ABR Harley House where staff will closely monitor her overnight and throughout the next few days.
Since arriving at ABR, staff have dubbed her Twinkle Bear.
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