The Bear Necessities of Life
Help us build our new bear gardens
We brought in some of the world’s foremost experts in creating zoological garden designs that prioritize an animal’s ability to thrive. The result is a blueprint for a new bear garden that provides over an acre of natural features for each bear.
We are already four months into construction on our new Bear Gardens, which means we are approximately halfway through the build. Construction is scheduled for completion by January 1! The bears will be hibernating for the winter by then, so we anticipate moving them to the new gardens when they wake up next spring.
Meet the Bears
The Plans
We’re partnering with architects from the Epsten Group and Ursa International who specialize in animal environments to ensure this project is bear-driven, providing the best habitat possible to fulfill the physical, mental, and emotional needs of our sanctuary bears.
The new bear gardens will give each bear the chance to do what bears do most naturally—from foraging for native plants and berries, to climbing to a high point to see the land around them, to cooling off and playing in their own freshwater pool before taking a rest in their sheltered den.
Our goal is to give our bears the safety and care of sanctuary life with the richness and diversity of life in the wild. And it will allow visitors and supporters—whether in person or through photos and videos—a chance to connect personally and intimately with each unique bear, and experience the power of Reconnection Ecology®. We’re ready to start breaking ground on this new bear habitat—but we cannot do it without you. Help us build a garden for Earthfire’s incredible bears!
It has become apparent that it is time to make some good things happen here on earth. Money and possessions do not endure. So my plan is to give a big push to start the building of the bear enclosures at Earthfire…. If you are like minded, I would be so honored if you would kick in a little in order to get this accomplished. We can make it happen.
Marilyn Paine, Major Contributor toward the Bear Gardens. Read her whole letter here.
The Progress
For detailed updates, read the Bear Garden Diaries.
Earthfire depends on your support to make our work possible.
