Uli is our female black bear that arrived in our care in 2002.

Uli was found as a cub wandering the streets of downtown Juneau, weighing in at just five pounds, and her mother could not be located. She was named after an Alaska Airlines staff member who assisted in her relocation to the AWCC. Uli loves to roll around, sleep and loves when she receives watermelons as her enrichment!

Kuma is a male black bear that was brought to AWCC in May of 2002, weighing only three pounds.

He was found alone in a hole in a backyard in Trapper Creek, AK. The homeowner was putting in a septic system and when the mother bear passed by, the cub fell in and was unable to climb out. When Kuma was discovered, the sow was nowhere to be found. One of Kuma’s favorite hangouts at the AWCC is high up in the cottonwood trees. He spends hours napping comfortably in the high elevation and doesn’t appear to be bothered by heavy rain or high winds!

Kobuk was brought to AWCC in the spring of 2016.

He was found as an orphan in Valdez, Alaska after his mother had been chased off by dogs. Kobuk had become dependent on searching through trash cans for food, so to stop this bad habit of his and any potential conflicts it may have caused with humans, Kobuk was rescued and transferred to AWCC. Kobuk has since thrived! He loves climbing trees, playing with balls filled with honey and blueberries as well as interacting with our animal care staff.

What’s in a name? Kobuk was named after Kobuk Valley National Park, as a tribute to the 100th Anniversary of the National Parks in 2016. Despite their name, black bears are not always black in color. To tell them apart from brown bear, instead look for traits like taller ears, straighter face profiles, and a lack of a shoulder hump.

Listen to the Black Bear Audio Guide