WACO, Texas — Two American black bear cubs will soon call Baylor University their home.
On Monday, Baylor announced that the two cubs, named Judge Indy and Judge Belle, will move into the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat that's on-campus by mid-summer.
Both of the bears are cousins by birth, the university said. Indy was born on Jan. 24, weighing 25 pounds, while her cousin, Belle, was born just five days later at 21 pounds.
“We are thrilled to welcome Judge Indy and Judge Belle to the Baylor Family as we continue the proud and important mission of the Baylor Bear Habitat into its next chapter,” Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone said.
“Just as Joy and Lady served for more than two decades as an enduring symbol of Baylor’s spirit and tradition, we look forward to Indy and Belle in residence at the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat, where they will receive the same world-class supervision and protection of their dedicated student caregivers, staff and veterinary personnel. Indy and Belle will be remarkable ambassadors for Baylor and the bear program’s unique mission of stewardship, education and conservation for the local community and beyond,” Livingstone added.
Baylor said it came upon the two cubs came from a wildlife park in Idaho. The Idaho park normally expects six to eight cubs a year, but this spring, the park saw over double that number and was in need of finding new homes for them.
"After a lengthy observational period with the Bear Habitat’s external bear consultant and evaluation by the Habitat’s veterinary team, the cubs were deemed an ideal fit for the unique operational nature and mission of the Baylor Bear Habitat, officially entering the University’s care earlier this month," Baylor said in a news release.
When it comes to the breakdown of each bear, Judge Indy is said to be the largest cub from her litter and she is expected to remain the larger one throughout her life.
Judge Indy has been observed as being the more dominant and independent of the two. Coincidentally she was named after Independence, Texas, the birthplace of Baylor University.
As for Judge Belle, she is said to be the smaller one with a large personality. She isn't afraid to wrestle with Judge Indy, but she also knows when she's had enough.
Judge Belle was named after the McLane Carillon bells, which can be heard chiming from the tower of Pat Neff Hall.
Both bears are expected to carry the same jet-black fur throughout all seasons of the year. This differs from the current two bears at the university, Lady and Joy, who both have a seasonal-cinnamon coat.
This transitional period for the two cubs could take some time as they continue to acclimate to their new home.
In a press release, the Associate Director of Student Activities Dakota Farquhar-Caddell stated, "They are bursting with energy, so over the next few months we'll continue to prioritize building trust with their Chamber caregivers and bonding with them along with exposing them to lots of new sights, sounds, foods and scents to best enrich their development as cubs."
The Bear Habitat has been caring for bears on campus grounds since 1917 and the university thanks all of its donors for making this hefty financial commitment possible.
To learn more, visit here.
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