(Article updated on Dec. 6 with comments from Sue Tygielski, senior director at Black Beauty Ranch.)
Eve, a black bear known as the "Bare Bear," has grown back her thick coat of fur seven years after being found completely hairless in a dumpster.
Rescuers in Northern California found her on Christmas Eve in 2017. The 30-pound (13-kilogram) cub had "the worst case of mange many experts had ever seen," according to the animal welfare group the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
Highlights
- Eve the "Bare Bear'" grew back her fur after seven years.
- The animal was found hairless and malnourished in a dumpster due to severe mange.
- Unable to survive in the wild, Eve found a permanent home at Black Beauty Ranch in Texas.
Image credits: humanesociety
Mange is a disease caused by parasitic mites that affect the skin. It's characterized by hair loss, severe itching, and the formation of scabs and lesions. Additionally, it can cause widespread secondary skin infections, extreme weight loss, blindness, and death.
It can impact wildlife and pets and is typically contracted by contact with another infested animal, or a contaminated environment, as per the Animal Humane Society.
Eve was taken to the Fund for Animals Wildlife Center in Ramona, California, where she received treatment for her mange and a healthy diet to help her recover.
A bald "bare bear" has made a stunning transformation after moving to a Texas sanctuary
Image credits: humanesociety
By July 2018, six months after the rescue, the skin disease was mostly gone, but the animal still dealt with a skin infection that required treatment.
Though rescuers hoped Eve could be released back into the wild, they concluded that she was too dependent on humans and would not survive on her own in her natural habitat, as hibernating and interactions with other bears would be problematic.
Therefore, they decided to find her a permanent home where she could receive the care she needed and live as happily as possible.
In December 2019, that home became the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, Texas, a 1,400-acre sanctuary that houses hundreds of animals, many of whom have been rescued from near-death situations.
Image credits: humanesociety
“It was critical that Eve’s severe case of mange be treated with a proper medical protocol involving skin treatments and medication when she was found," Sue Tygielski, senior director at Black Beauty Ranch, told Bored Panda in an email.
"Following medical attention, patchy fur growth started slowly growing during her time at the rehabilitation center in California.
"When she arrived here at Black Beauty Ranch after her rescue and rehabilitation, her fur started to fill in more over time, but it will never be as thick as a healthy bear.
"Her sparce coat does get a little thicker during the colder months and then thins out again during the spring and summer, which is typical for bears.”
Eve would have perished if not for the help of those who specialized in wildlife
Image credits: humanesociety
Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, stated that "without the intervention of the dedicated wildlife center staff, Eve would not have survived."
"We know her future now at our Black Beauty Ranch is a bright one and that all of her needs will be met for the rest of her life."
The ranch was founded in 1979 by author and animal advocate Cleveland Amory.
According to the Black Beauty Ranch, caring for one bear costs approximately $15,000 per year. The Texas sanctuary, part of the Humane Society of the United States, is one of America's largest and most diverse animal sanctuaries.
It is home to over 600 domestic and exotic animals from 43 species, including tigers, bears, primates, kangaroos, bison, horses, farm animals, and more.
Its residents were rescued from research laboratories, circuses, the pet trade, roadside zoos, and other circumstances of neglect and cruelty.
"Eve is one of four bears living at the sanctuary," Tygielski told Bored Panda. "A curious girl, she is often found hanging around the edge of her habitat to try to get a look at Sammi, a retired circus bear, and mother-son bear duo Jackie and Russell in their own nearby habitats."
But it seems this money was put to good use as Eve was nursed back to health
Image credits: humanesociety
Seven years after being found rummaging through dumpsters, Eve is now a 160-pound (72kg) healthy bear.
No longer showing signs of weakness, she actively interacts with other animals at the sanctuary and has earned the reputation of a "sassy" personality among the staff.
"When Eve was found searching through trash, tiny and hairless, she looked nothing like a bear," Tygielski shared in a statement.
Image credits: BlackBeautyRanch
"The story of this incredibly resilient, strong, determined bear is remarkable. She has been through so much and has come into her own, expressing her natural wild behaviors, exploring, climbing high in the trees, splashing in her pool, and lounging in a nest she created at the base of her favorite tree.
"She is thriving and living the life she deserves, just getting to be a bear."
Eve now gets to enjoy normal bear activities, like climbing, swimming, and scavenging for food
Image credits: BlackBeautyRanch
On social media, people were overjoyed to learn the news of Eve's recovery.
"Thank you very much for saving this beautiful bear," one user wrote.
"So glad you were able to help Eve," another said, as a third added, "Such a beautiful rescue and recovery."
Another user wrote: "God bless you for saving little Eve. She's living her full life now. I give to the Humane Society every month and I hope and pray it helps a lot of animals. God bless you all."
Black Beauty Ranch has an Amazon wish list for needed supplies to help care for its residents.
Commenters were in awe of the efforts given to save Eve
