Meet Buddy the Black Bear at Bearizona

If you don’t know who Buddy the elf is well at least you’ll know who Buddy the black bear is. Recently, the Arizona Game and Fish Department was able to rescue a small 15lb black bear in Oro Valley, Arizona. In December, a 15 lb bear is unheard of!

On Sunday, the 10th of December, the field-supervisor for AGFD helped remove the friendly bear down from a tree at North Oracle Road and East Catalina Shadows Boulevard. There was no mother bear around, making everyone question what happened to her. How did this tiny bear survive so long without her? Did he get picked up by a predator or another bear? Or did a human take him from his mother? Regardless, this orphaned bear beat all odds and survived.

Spokesperson for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Mark Hart, was shocked that the bear weighed only 15 pounds. He said that bears in Arizona are born around January and February. “Then this bear should be a year old or almost a year old, in which case it should weigh 70 pounds.” Hart also goes on to say that he is stump-founded on how the small bear was able to come down Catalina Mountains by himself.

Visit Buddy the Black Bear in Bearizona

Since being rescued, the small black bear has gotten a new home at Bearizona Wildlife Park. At Bearizona, you can either walk or drive through the sanctuary and experience all the wild animals including American Bison, brown bears, reindeer, and black bears. Starting December 22nd, visitors can come and meet Buddy the black bear. Owner of Bearizona, Sean Casey, said “Well, it is Christmas time and this cub is abnormally tiny, so I think he might be an elf.” The Bearizona staff named the tiny bear Buddy after the main character from the popular and beloved Christmas movie Elf.

Since the bear was friendly and comfortable around humans, they were speculating that someone was feeding the bear. Even though the bear is minute for his age, he was given a clean bill of health. Bearizona’s chief operating officer, Dave O’Connell, said that once the bear associates humans with food they remember that forever. This is why it’s essential, as much as you want to, not to feed bears. Hart also mentions that with proper care, Buddy will grow to be a 450-500-pound bear.

If you find a sick or orphaned bear, contact your local wildlife authorities.