New Bear at Maymont

Maymont introduced their new bear to the public this weekend. Named Phoenix through a citywide contest - he's 15 months old, an orphan, found wandering the median strip of Interstate 81 some months back.

Phoenix replaces two bears that were euthanized a few months back in a controversial decision by the city health department and the Virginia Game Commission. One of the bears had bitten the hand of a small child who had gotten past one barrier to the main fence. The bears had to be killed to test for rabies - the test was negative.