Humble Bumble is a learning-disabled grizzly bear. This brings up a lot of interesting questions. How can a grizzly bear be learning disabled? How do we know? Is it the same as for humans?
Some examples of how he is different from the other bears: In the late fall we give each of the bears bales of hay so they can tuck themselves in. They each arrange it carefully into a snug bed, a process that takes all day. Humble’s hay is scattered in a chaotic pile.
He is easily frightened. Anything new is too much for him and he goes to a corner and jumps up and down, up and down, up and down to soothe himself in the face of something unknown. His coordination isn’t too good. He gets frustrated very easily. Life is just a lot for him.
He came from a roadside zoo that was closing, just a few weeks old, and even then it was clear that he was a “differently-abled” bear. Now 7 years old he is enormous, but it isn’t the size you notice first – it is a gentleness, an innocence. It is in the expression of his face, in his movements, in the whole feel he emanates. Most animals at Earthfire have names reflecting their magnificence- Northwind the wolf; Windwalker the cougar. But as we spent time with him; watched him play, sweetly, gently, not too coordinated, not too quick on the draw, the name just came out. – Humble Bumble.
He so wants to be friends. But the other bears take advantage of him. Unlike the other bears, he doesn’t go into a serious hibernation, because he wants company. Any time in the winter that guests come by he will at least stick his nose out but more often, though admittedly a bit slowly, he comes out to visit. He just wants to be part of something.
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Nomad Lives by Jennifer Sauer
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