Hop on board! Raft guide rescues an abandoned bear cub from a river by coaxing her onto his boat and paddling her to safety

  • The five-month-old, 14lb, American black bear was seen struggling on the bank of Nolichucky River near Erwin, Tennessee, for four days 
  • It appeared she had been abandoned by her mom and had become malnourished 
  • After becoming more comfortable with human contact, on Thursday she jumped into the raft owned by High Mountain Expeditions
  • The cub, named Noli Bear, was taken to the Appalachian Bear Rescue where she will recover and then return to the wild

By Kelly Mclaughlin For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:40 EST, 11 July 2015 | Updated: 11:15 EST, 12 July 2015

A five-month-old American black bear was rescued from a river in the Smoky Mountains after she struggled to survive for several days.

The 14lb bear was picked up by river guide Danny Allen, of High Mountain Expeditions, on the side of the Nolichucky River near Erwin, Tennessee, on Thursday. 

After the bear - which has been named Noli Bear, after the river she was rescued from - was seen four days in a row, she climbed into Allen's raft when he pulled to the river's edge.

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Noli Bear, a 14lb, five-month-old American black bear was rescued from the edge of the Nolichucky River near Erwin, Tennessee, on Thursday

Noli Bear, a 14lb, five-month-old American black bear was rescued from the edge of the Nolichucky River near Erwin, Tennessee, on Thursday

Noli bear was picked up by river guide Danny Allen (pictured), of High Mountain Expeditions, on the side of the Nolichucky River near Erwin, Tennessee, on Thursday

Noli bear was picked up by river guide Danny Allen (pictured), of High Mountain Expeditions, on the side of the Nolichucky River near Erwin, Tennessee, on Thursday

River guides said Noli Bear had been struggling on the side of the river for several days, and with each day she became more comfortable with human interaction. On Thursday she climbed into Allen's raft

River guides said Noli Bear had been struggling on the side of the river for several days, and with each day she became more comfortable with human interaction. On Thursday she climbed into Allen's raft

After Noli bear - named after the river she was rescued from - was seen four days in a row, she climbed into Allen's raft when he pulled to the river's edge

After Noli bear - named after the river she was rescued from - was seen four days in a row, she climbed into Allen's raft when he pulled to the river's edge

Matt Moses, who owns USA Raft, provided pictures of the dramatic rescue to Daily Mail Online and has described how Noli Bear was saved.  

'We had seen this bear over the last four days, and there was no sight of a mama bear,' Moses told the Knoxville News Sentinel.

'She was obviously malnourished and appeared to be in distress,' he added. 'My guides kept coming back to me and saying they had no idea what to do. We didn't want to see this bear die on the side of the river.'

Each day Noli Bear became more comfortable with human contact, Moses said adding that it's the first time he's heard of a bear getting into a raft.  

'It would walk toward us at first. Then it swam out toward one of our rafts. Thursday, a guy from another rafting company (Allen) pulled over and she got right in,' he told the News Sentinel.  

Noli Bear was taken by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to the Appalachian Bear Rescue in Townsend, which has returned orphaned, injured or medically in-need bears to the wild since 1996. 

Allen took Noli Bear to Matt Moses, who owns USA Raft Company and together they contacted Tennessee Wildlife Resources

Allen took Noli Bear to Matt Moses, who owns USA Raft Company and together they contacted Tennessee Wildlife Resources

 Moses said Noli Bear (pictured here with Allen) was obviously malnourished and appeared to be in distress

 Moses said Noli Bear (pictured here with Allen) was obviously malnourished and appeared to be in distress

 Noli Bear was taken by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to the Appalachian Bear Rescue in Townsend. Staff took her to University of Tennessee Veterinary School to be treated for dehydration

 Noli Bear was taken by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to the Appalachian Bear Rescue in Townsend. Staff took her to University of Tennessee Veterinary School to be treated for dehydration

 Dana Dodd, board president of the Appalachian Bear Rescue, said Noli Bear is recovering and is walking

 Dana Dodd, board president of the Appalachian Bear Rescue, said Noli Bear is recovering and is walking

Dana Dodd, board president of the Appalachian Bear Rescue, said Noli Bear is recovering, and is 'up, walking and feeding'.  

'She likes grapes and applesauce. Those things are great for her because they're filled with water,' she added. 

Dodd said the bear was dehydrated and given fluids by the University of Tennessee Veterinary School after she was dropped off at the Appalachian Bear Rescue.

In about a week, after she is climbing, hearing and seeing well, Noli Bear might be put into an area that houses four other cubs.

'She will have to stay in the acclimatization area until we can't see any more of her neurological conditions, like dehydration and possibly heat stroke,' she said.  

In about a week, after she is climbing, hearing and seeing well, Noli Bear might be put into an area that houses four other cubs 

In about a week, after she is climbing, hearing and seeing well, Noli Bear might be put into an area that houses four other cubs 

'She will have to stay in the acclimatization area until we can't see any more of her neurological conditions,' said Dodd. 'like dehydration and possibly heat stroke,' she said.

'She will have to stay in the acclimatization area until we can't see any more of her neurological conditions,' said Dodd. 'Like dehydration and possibly heat stroke'

Noli Bear will likely stay at Appalachian Bear Rescue until some time between August and the end of the year

Noli Bear will likely stay at Appalachian Bear Rescue until some time between August and the end of the year

Matt Moses, who owns USA Raft Company, said he had never heard of a bear climbing into a river guide's raft before, as Noli Bear did

Matt Moses, who owns USA Raft Company, said he had never heard of a bear climbing into a river guide's raft before, as Noli Bear did

When Noli Bear reaches 50lb, which will likely be between August and December, she will be released into the wild. 

The TWRA will decide where she will be taken, but it will probably be near where she was found.  

'They do that because most of the bears try and make it back to where they came from,' Dodd told the News Sentinel, as most cubs stay with their mothers until they are 16 months old.   

'Studies have shown that at six months - especially in warmer climates like the southeast, and if food like acorns are plentiful - these cubs would be viable,' she added. 

Dodd urged, however, that people should not approach animals in the wild. 

'If you see wildlife in trouble, you should immediately call TWRA. You should never intervene on your own. It's dangerous for you and the animal,' she said. 

Noli Bear has been eating grapes and apple sauce, both of which are filled with water and help combat her dehydration

Noli Bear has been eating grapes and apple sauce, both of which are filled with water and help combat her dehydration

There was no sign of Noli Bear's mother when she was rescued. After she is rehabilitated, she will be released into the wild, likely in an area near where she was found

There was no sign of Noli Bear's mother when she was rescued. After she is rehabilitated, she will be released into the wild, likely in an area near where she was found

Dana Dodd, board president of the Appalachian Bear Rescue warned the public that it is dangerous to approach animals in the wild, as the river guides had with Noli Bear

Dana Dodd, board president of the Appalachian Bear Rescue warned the public that it is dangerous to approach animals in the wild, as the river guides had with Noli Bear

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