Fortress of the Bear Sitka Alaska

I've had bears on my mind this week. Why? Well I was lucky enough to live in Jackson Wyoming for about 10 years. During that time I was in the right place at the right time a few times and was able to view the famous Grizzly 399 with her cubs. This famous bear has her own social media accounts including a very good one on Instagram. 

When you are out and about in the nearby parks, Grand Teton or Yellowstone or anywhere really you need to be aware that you are in bear country. You should be doing things to keep yourself safe but in my mind more importantly you should do things to keep the bears safe. Number one thing for the bear's safety is to cut off any sources of  easy to get human food. A bear who gets used to easy picking of our foods tends to get in trouble with humans and can get aggressive. Those bears usually get euthanized. That is what happened recently to one of 399's daughters. These deaths are not the bear's fault, the blame lies with the people who gave the bears an easy food source that of course they wanted more and more of.

Okay off soapbox now.

During our Alaskan cruise with Holland America this summer we had the opportunity to go to the Fortress of the Bear in Sitka Alaska.  Their mission statement says, "We provide protection and care to rescued animals in an enriching, educational environment." This nonprofit relies entirely on donations and merchandise sales for to cover operating expenses. They are currently caring for 8 bars.

I found more information on their website.

Bears ruled Alaska long before fishermen, gold miners, or cruise ships arrived. As their territory has diminished, more and more bear cubs have become orphaned and sick. The state of Alaska has no bear rehabilitation program in place, and unfortunately orphaned cubs are routinely shot by the Department of Fish and Game for lack of an alternative. Until now. At Fortress of the Bear, our mission is to rescue cubs, bring them back to health and provide a long life full of enrichment.  

Our rescue center opened in 2007, and now houses 8 bears. More than 20,000 visitors per year come to experience the majesty of these amazing creatures. We’ve sent bears to the Bronx Zoo, Montana Grizzly Encounter and the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Boyd, Texas. Our goal is to work with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game to someday release rehabbed bears back into the wild. As a 501(C)3 not-for-profit organization, we rely solely on admission fees and donations for funding. 

I know this is not a perfect system since the bears aren't in the wild but the work they do is better than killing more of these magnificent creatures. The mountain west and Alaska  are bear country and we are the intruders so the least we can do is live in a way that allows us to coexist that keeps us all safe. You can take a quick peek at what I saw and took pictures of during my visit to Fortress of the Bear this summer.

Back with more again soon. Take care and stay cozy!