WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Baylor University has started their 2024 fall semester and the two live four-legged bears, Judge Indy and Judge Belle, are ready to greet the new class and get the school year started.
- Judge Indy and Judge Belle are live mascots that live at the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat on Campus
- The two black bears made their appearance on campus summer of 2023
- The habitat is open all year round, including holidays, where you can see the bears connect each Baylor class
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Dakota Farquhar-Caddell is no stranger to these familiar beasts on Baylor’s campus.
“I’m the full time professional over the bear habitat, caring for Indy, Belle and Lady, along with about 12-14 student volunteers,” said Farquhar-Caddell, full time professional at the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat on campus.
In fact, he was a student volunteer himself before graduating in 2011.
“I helped take car of Joy and Lady, they were the bears on campus when I first arrived here for Welcome Week, Joy and Lady were here in the Habitat and now it’s one of the coolest things that connects people on campus for generations of Baylor Bears,” Farquhar-Caddell said.
Now with the fall semester starting, Judge Indy and Judge Belle are taking over that role.
“Every day is an adventure with them — Indy and Belle are full of personality, they love exploring, they’re like 175-pound toddlers," Farquhar-Caddell said.
"They want to destroy everything, they want to learn about everything, they make everyone happy, so the best thing is seeing folks come through and light up getting to see God’s creation on display, learning about black bears, Central Texas Conservation — it’s the best job in the world."
When it comes to the Texas heat —
“Black bears are native to all continental states, even Texas, they can acclimate pretty well to this Texas heat, they have three different caves that are about 10 to 15 degrees cooler, outside ambient temperature, which is helpful, they have a pool, do laps around it, they love that pool, then we also give them ice popsicles throughout the day,” said Farquhar-Caddell.
Why are these live mascots such a hit on campus?
“Funny thing, my nick name at home is Bear, that was one of the funny things that drew me to Baylor, I just love coming to see them," said senior at Baylor, Victoria Pearson.
"Indy and Belle came on campus last year, so they’re going to be part of my college story whenever I tell."
“Being able to see and watch them grow and being able to bond over the bears is so amazing,” said Cassandra Karnbach, junior at Baylor University.
Being that connecting source — no matter which generation comes through campus.
“We have two-year-olds walking here, to 92-year-olds — we have grandparents that show their grandkids the bear habitat, Joy and Lady we’ve had for about two decades and then when they retired, we got Indy and Belle here who are now a year-and-a-half old,” Farquhar-Caddell said.
