on October 25, 2013. In Seward, Spring Creek Correctional Center workers had found her consuming cigarette butts which led the orphaned cub to be named Smokey. After she was caught on October 16, 2013, by Alaska State Troopers, a social media campaign asked the Department of Fish and Game not to kill the bear, and the refuge agreed to adopt her. To train her not to worry about scarcity in food, Les Kinnear gave her pieces of apples and dry dog food several times throughout the day. Since Smokey was the refuge's first black bear, the refuge needed to construct a second area to house her. The existing area, which housed brown bears, was insufficient as it was too small and would be dangerous for the bears. In November 2013, Smokey was joined by a second black bear cub, Bandit, who was transported in from Juneau. Tuliaan, Smokey's sister, joined her at the refuge on December 17, 2023, after people found her at the same place Smokey had been found. Tuliaan means "gentle" in Tlingit. The seven-year-old brown bear Balloo, whose namesake was a favorite character of Kinnear's in The Jungle Book, was euthanized in October 2017 after he could no longer move his hind legs. Killisnoo was euthanized in May 2020 after refuge workers found he had trouble moving. Reception Midland Reporter-Telegram journalist Kay Crites wrote, "It was a little sad to see the bears kept in large circular areas surrounded by concrete walls." Noting that the Department of Fish and Game frequently euthanizes cubs whose mothers have died, she found that the refuge had saved the bears' lives. The Manchester Evening Newss Kate Fielder said, "It was amazing to watch these bears play as eagles soared above." Seth Rudetsky wrote, "The place was incredible…but also so extremely sad because they gave us the back stories on each cub. ... I got an amazing video of the bears playing with a ball that they spin around in the water and every so often, food comes out of it." Author Erin Kirkland wrote, "If you're going to see bears at other southeast Alaska destinations or elsewhere in the state, I'd skip this frankly. But if seeing brown bears up close is a must-do for your family, then stop. The bears are acclimated to their human family and can be quite funny when asking for a fish snack, much to the