Sitka bear sanctuary making room for more black bears

SITKA, Alaska (AP) – A Sitka bear sanctuary is getting ready to unveil its new black bear enclosure when it opens for the tourist season.

Fortress of the Bear Manager Claire Turner said during a presentation at the Sitka Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday that the new enclosure will add about 10 times the space of its previous black bear habitat.

The Daily Sitka Sentinel reports that Les and Evy Kinnear opened the fortress in 2002 with only brown bears.

They added a separate 4000-square-foot (372-sq. meter) enclosure after they brought in black bear cubs, which they have since outgrown.

Les Kinnear says their new space is larger and is a more natural environment for them.

Les Kinnear says with the additional space, the state is considering allowing them to take in more black bear cubs.
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Information from: Daily Sitka (Alaska) Sentinel, http://www.sitkasentinel.com/

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