Our Bears - Copperfield the "Disappearing" Bear.

Copperfield was orphaned when his mother was killed in Townsend. He was treed by dogs and soon spotted by a compassionate man and his wife. The couple watched him in a tree for a day and a half and determined that no mother bear would be returning for him. When the man approached the tree, the frightened and hungry cub backed down from the tree into the man's arms.

The man knew immediately that the cub's behavior was not normal and secured the cub in a cage, offered him food and water, and began trying to contact wildlife authorities. The man was unable to get immediate assistance from wildlife authorities since he discovered the cub on a Sunday afternoon, so he contacted ABC.

The man and his wife brought the cub to ABC where the Center's curator contacted TWRA and received permission to accept the cub. The cub was admitted to the Center and the curator realized that the cub was actually a yearling that was far underweight.

Copperfield weighed 16 pounds, much lighter than the 50-60 pounds he should have weighed. He was monitored through the night and placed in the bear enclosure the next morning. When Copperfield was put in the holding area of the enclosure (so he could be monitored closely for a few more days), he decided otherwise.

Copperfield escaped from the holding pen through a tiny opening in the roof and made his way into the large enclosure and scaled the first oak tree he found. When he was safe in the top of the tree, he looked down on us as if to say "this is where I'll stay!" In the days that followed, catching a glimpse of Copperfield was rare and he could disappear in a flash. He hid in small dens and behind logs. He rested all day in treetops and descended at night for his evening meal.

He enjoyed lounging in his sky-high den until he was retrieved from ABC's enclosure and released to his new life of freedom at Calderwood Overlook on May 10, 2004.