Cinnamon & Louie

Species: American Black Bear

Cinnamon and Louie were brought to CALM at different times but are now the best of Bear Buds! Cinnamon was brought to us through California Department of Fish and Wildlife after it was determined that he was not a suitable candidate to be released into the wild; he was under a year old and too young to make it successfully on his own.

Louie came to CALM when he was roughly 2 and a half years old. Bears usually leave their mommas at this age and he was found raiding fish huts in San Luis Obispo! Bears are naturally inquisitive and Louie was no exception. Fish and Wildlife evaluated Louie and his curiosity made him an unlikely candidate for release into another area so he was brought to CALM to be a partner to Cinnamon. Upon arrival, Louie was not sure about Cinnamon! It is natural for young bears to be scared of male bears and Louie wanted nothing to do with Cinnamon…but Cinnamon worked SO hard to win him over! He desperately wanted to be his friend. He would share his best food with Louie and would nudge it to him or leave it where he could get it (they were separated by hotwire in the habitat until they were able to be safely introduced). He would open coconuts and melons and slide those under the wire for him and share his fish. Eventually the boys became inseparable and you can now see them snuggling when you come out to CALM.