Koda G's Story

Koda G arrived at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) with 33 other animals during the Colorado Project of 2016-2017. TCWR acquired a closing, 12-acre roadside establishment with 115 animals living in deplorable conditions with minimal veterinary care. Due to health issues, the previous owner needed to find a new home for all the animals he had acquired. Many enclosures had access doors made of rotting plywood and a padlock to contain these apex predators. Additionally, with compacted dirt and woodchips with nails, the animals had little shade from the glaring eastern Colorado sun. Our team worked tirelessly on-site for six months and collaborated with other accredited Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) sanctuaries to transport and provide lifelong Refuge to these animals.

Koda G lives in one of two natural black bear habitats TCWR completed in 2018. The concept behind these state-of-the-art habitats was to completely fence in a large area – about an acre per habitat – so that the black bears in captivity could behave like the native bears in Arkansas. Koda G’s caretakers still provide her daily food, maintain her in-ground pool, and monitor her closely. Koda G likes to spend her time playing in the trees, finding the perfect spots to nap, and foraging for extra snacks growing out in her habitat. In winter, Koda G will enter a state of torpor – reduced circulation, breathing, and heart rate. Often confused with hibernation, torpor allows a bear in the wild to defend its territory if any threat occurs. We provide heated dens for the bears in winter. Also, Koda G enjoys various perfumes sprayed throughout her habitat weekly, rubbing her back on trees, and marking her territory throughout her habitat.