Honey is a female, brown phase black bear.  She arrived at the North American Bear Center on May 1st, 2007, along with Ted, a big male black bear she had grown up with.  At that time Honey weighed about 550 pounds, which is approximately the record for a female black bear.  Both Ted and Honey had lived with a family in Wisconsin for many years.  Honey is a year older than Ted, and their owner said the only reason they got Ted was because Honey was such a sweet and special bear.

Honey was unhappy during her first few weeks at the Bear Center, and we didn't see much of that ‘sweet special bear' her owner told us about.  Ted loves people and adjusted easily to his new home, but Honey missed her owner and it took her much longer to feel comfortable with us.  She was blustery and would occasionally bluff charge, apparently to give herself the "safe" area she needed.