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Black bear Yonnie dies at Grandfather Mountain
JOE MARUSAK The HeraldSun, Durham
Yonnie is shown here last fall. she came to Grandfather Mountain
about 27 years ago. Yonnie gave birth to eight cubs.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATION
Yonnie's name was short for Yonahlossee, the Cherokee word
for "trail of the black bear."
Yonnie, the sweet-toothed, rambunctious mama black bear who loved strawberry jelly, was euthanized last week because of debilitating, age-related ailments, her handlers at Grandfather Mountain said. She was 27.
Beloved Yonnie had trouble standing and walking because of severe arthritis, officials with the not-for-profit nature park in the North Carolina mountains said in a news release.
Born in a facility out West, Yonnie was about 3 months old when she and her companion bear, Kodiak, were flown to Charlotte to meet their new keepers, officials said.
She gave birth to eight cubs and "was an excellent mother who loved her babies immensely and could be seen playing games with them regularly," according to a news release.
'Exploring, sunbathing, splashing'
Yonnie's name was short for Yonahlossee, the Cherokee word for "trail of the black bear."
Yonnie also was "outspoken and full of attitude," yet "sensitive and emotional with uniquely expressive eyes," officials wrote. In her later years, she was "calm and sweet."
Being a bear, she was whiny when she wanted more food. She also favored berries and peaches, her handlers said.
And she loved hanging out with Kodiak — whether "exploring, sunbathing, tree-lounging or splashing around in the pond."
In her youth, she'd pick on other bears and then hide behind Kodiak. He also was 27 when he died this year.
"Yonnie will always be remembered for her enthusiasm and the love she showed her cubs," Christie Tipton, animal habitat curator for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, said in a statement.
"Throughout her long life, she was always a spirited bear, and her impact will not be forgotten," Tipton said.
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