Two tiny but growing bears now call West Bend sanctuary home



WEST BEND (WITI) -- Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary in West Bend has added two baby brown bears to its animal kingdom! They're growing fast, and they'll make their zoo debut in May!

Lana and David Fechter are the owners of the Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary -- but for now, you can call them Mama and Papa Bear!

"With us, we're learning the ways of the bear," the Fechters told FOX6 News.



"Lewis" and "Clark" are nine-week-old brown bears that arrived at Shalom Wildlife earlier in March. The baby bears were abandoned by their mother at another zoo.

"It's like having two little twins -- two little babies that want to be fed," the Fechters said.

They are fed a dry milk, yogurt, vitamins and calcium from about 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. -- with feedings occurring every four hours.

When they arrived in West Bend, the bears were each about four pounds -- and they're growing fast!

"When they are full grown, they'll probably be over 1,000 pounds each," the Fechers said.

Soon, they'll outgrow their makeshift den.

"The barrel is their safe haven.  They need a den that they feel secure in, so that is why we have them in the barrel right now," the Fechers said.

Lewis and Clark are already huge on social media. Pictures of the cubs' every move generate hundreds of Facebook "likes" every day.

"We have about 4,000 daily visitors who watch to see how they're growing and things that they're doing," the Fechers said.

The bear cubs will make their debut at Shalom Wildlife in May.

"Then after that, we're giving them a two-acre enclosure with a pond and the whole nine-yards," the Fechers said.

The Fechers say the cubs are currently teething. Their claws are currently a half-inch thick.

CLICK HERE to visit Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary's Facebook page for pictures and updates on Lewis and Clark.