Eight Grizzly bears, including two named Miss America and Miss Montana, rescued late last year by The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado were recently released into their forested, 103-acre (41+ hectares) habitat. Offering pine forest, hills, bluffs, rock formations, water features and dens, the expansive new home continues to advance how captive wildlife are housed and cared for. Previously knowing enclosures constructed mostly of concrete and steel and measured in square feet, the bruins seemed to be in sensory overload as they eagerly began to take in all of the sights, sounds and smells of the wild and were able to rove farther than ever before in their lives.
Sanctuary executive director, Pat Craig, who participated in the release, stated that even after rescuing large carnivores for over 40 years, seeing these powerful and beautiful animals moving about so freely in such a natural setting left him and other employees totally awestruck. So much so, that he now anticipates even more the release of more grizzlies into the habitat later in the spring and rescued Black Bears into their own neighboring 243-acre habitat. Another thrill staff members are looking forward to is seeing bears excavate their own dens and then hibernate in them next winter.
Six of the bears were previously kept at the defunct Wildlife Waystation in California, including sisters Miss America and Miss Montana who were housed there for 24 years. The other bears from the Wildlife Waystation are Amos, Maverick, Mishka and Timber. Joining them are female grizzlies, Pooh and Bearita, rescued from a private owner situation in Seguin, Texas that was shut down.
The bears are cared for by on-site Sanctuary staff members.