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Baylor University Mourns Passing of Baylor Bear Mascot Judge Sue “Lady” Sloan
March 11, 2025
Remembering Lady, Judge Sue Sloan, January 31, 2002 to March 11, 2025

Baylor University bear mascot Judge Sue Sloan, known as “Lady,” beloved sister of the late Judge “Joy” Reynolds and cherished member of the Baylor Family, passed away peacefully today surrounded by her loving and dedicated caregivers, staff and veterinary team. Lady was 23.

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Baylor Traditions: A Legacy of Connection and Heart
February 18, 2025
Students wear Baylor Line jerseys at a football game

College traditions are beloved on college campuses across the country. At Baylor, traditions are rooted in connection and community, giving students a lifelong tie to the University.

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Happy first BEARthday, Indy & Belle!
January 31, 2024
Belle, Indy and Lady celebrate their birthdays

January is now busier than ever on the Baylor campus, as we quickly jump from students’ return for the spring semester to celebrating not one, not two, but THREE birthdays — those of our beloved live bears!

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Baylor Bear Habitat Celebrates Indy and Belle’s First Birthday, Launch Habitat Club Membership
January 18, 2024
Two American black bear cubs climbing on logs inside of a natural rock habitat

Guests are welcome to block party-style event to celebrate Judge Indy and Judge Belle on their milestone birthday

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Baylor Bear Habitat to Host Meet the Cubs Event
August 22, 2023
Baylor's American black hears Judge Indy and Judge Belle

WACO, Texas (Aug. 22, 2023) – Baylor University is hosting a “welcome home” party for Judge Indy and Judge Belle – the University’s new American black bear cubs – at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat. The block party-style event will be held at the Bear Habitat from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 26.

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Baylor University Welcomes New Cubs to Campus
May 22, 2023
2 american black bear cubs

WACO, Texas (May 22, 2023) – Baylor University today announced the addition of two American black bear cubs to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat. The cubs, named Judge Indy and Judge Belle, will join the Baylor Family in the on-campus habitat as early as mid-summer.

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BaylorProud: Lady is graduating!
May 5, 2023
American black bear sitting in a natural stone and grass habitat with large decorative letters in the back that say "Congrats, Lady! Sic' em Bears"

Yes, Baylor’s beloved American black bear is preparing to move on — in this case, from her campus habitat to a new home off-campus (located on the enrichment site she and her sister, Joy, have enjoyed for years).  There, she’ll continue to be taken care of by her Baylor Bear Habitat caregivers, staff and veterinary team.

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Lady’s Favorites
May 2, 2023
Baylor mascot North American black bear, Lady

As Lady joins the ranks of Baylor’s graduates, discover some of her favorite aspects of life on campus. 

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Baylor Bear Habitat Plans Graduation Party for Judge Lady
April 19, 2023
Baylor Bear mascot Judge Sue "Lady" Sloan

WACO, Texas (April 19, 2023) – Baylor University is inviting students, alumni and all associated with the Baylor Family to join in celebrating the graduation of the University’s beloved American black bear, Lady, as she moves from the campus habitat to a private, auxiliary facility fully maintained by her Baylor Bear Habitat caregivers, staff and veterinary team.

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Baylor Family celebrates the life of Judge Joy Reynolds throughout Labor Day weekend
September 6, 2022

In July, we mourned the loss of Judge Joy Reynolds, one of our beloved live bears. Her passing was felt across the entire Baylor community and beyond, prompting literally thousands of comments, reactions and memories on social media. Joy’s 21 years of life were spent cheering on Baylor and educating our community on conservation and […]

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Baylor Bears Judge Joy and Judge Lady Take Over Twitter
October 27, 2021
American black bear sitting on a green box with gold markings

They may not be blue-check verified on Twitter, but Judge Joy and Judge Lady – Baylor University's two American black bears who reside on campus in the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat – will make history as the first live college mascots to send a tweet on the popular social media platform.

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Baylor Bear Habitat Becomes First University Facility in the World to Earn AZA Accreditation
May 12, 2021
Baylor Bears

WACO, Texas (May 12, 2021) – The Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat at Baylor University today announced its approval for accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the independent, international accrediting organization for the best zoos and aquariums.

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Baylor Bear Mascot Lady Progressing to Next Phase of Recovery and Rehabilitation Plan
January 11, 2021
Judge Lady

WACO, Texas (Jan. 11, 2021) – Baylor University announced today that Judge Lady, one of the University’s two beloved American black bears, is progressing to the next phase of her recovery and rehabilitation from a successful operation to remove a cyst that developed around her spinal column. The surgery occurred in August 2020 at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) in College Station.

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Bear Update: Home and Health
October 14, 2020
Lady

After a late 2019 diagnosis with a benign thymoma mass, Lady, 18, received a series of innovative, noninvasive radiation doses called TomoTherapy — a treatment believed to be the first of its kind done on a bear. Follow-up examinations and radiograph images in July of this year showed Lady’s mass has not expanded, even suggesting a 20 percent reduction in size.

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Bear Update: Home and Health
October 14, 2020
American black bear sitting on green box in a grass field with a fence and trees in the background

After a late 2019 diagnosis with a benign thymoma mass, Lady, 18, received a series of innovative, noninvasive radiation doses called TomoTherapy — a treatment believed to be the first of its kind done on a bear. Follow-up examinations and radiograph images in July of this year showed Lady’s mass has not expanded, even suggesting a 20 percent reduction in size.

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Presidential Perspective - September 3, 2020
September 3, 2020

As we reach the end of the second week of the fall semester, I want to commend all of you for your continued wearing of facemasks, practicing social distancing and following University guidelines and policies during this unique time of COVID-19.

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Baylor Bear Mascot Lady Recovering from Successful Operation to Remove Mass on Spine
August 26, 2020
Lady

WACO, Texas (Aug. 26, 2020) – Baylor University announced today that Judge Lady, one of the University’s two American black bears, is recovering from a successful operation to remove a mass that developed around her spinal column.

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Presidential Perspective - July 9, 2020
July 9, 2020

Starting off with some good news this week: You may recall that in December, one of our beloved black bears, Lady, underwent a first-of-its-kind treatment, called Tomotherapy, for a thymoma in her chest. Last month, Lady underwent a check-up from her veterinary team who came to visit her in Waco. The team took images of Lady’s chest and have reported that the Tomotherapy treatment is successfully managing the size of the mass – it has not grown.

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Baylor Bear Habitat Continues Remarkable Care for University’s Bears During COVID-19 Pandemic
April 20, 2020
bears

WACO, Texas (April 20, 2020) – Amid the shelter-in-place mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic, diligent student caregivers in the Bill and Eva Williams Bear Habitat, a Class C Zoo, have maintained world-class supervision and protection of the University’s black bears, Judge Joy and Judge Lady.

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Our Mascots: Lady and Joy
December 11, 2019
Lady

Baylor University celebrates many beloved traditions, but few bring as much joy to students, alumni and friends and as many rich opportunities to interact with and educate young people in Central Texas as our live bear mascots, Joy and Lady. They are a cherished part of the Baylor Family.

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Baylor Bear Mascot Lady Undergoing Treatment for Benign Thymoma
December 11, 2019
Lady

WACO, Texas (Dec. 11, 2019) – Baylor University announced today that Lady, one of the University’s two American Black Bear mascots, is undergoing an innovative, noninvasive radiation treatment for a benign cranial mediastinal mass, or thymoma, in her chest. The tumor was found during a routine wellness examination with veterinarians at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

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Baylor Bear Habitat

Bill & Eva Williams Habitat
M.P. Daniel Esplanade
Waco, TX 76706

Baylor Chamber of Commerce
Bill Daniel Student Center (SUB) basement
1311 S. 5th Street, Waco TX 76706

One Bear Place #97074
Waco, TX 76798

(254) 710-3322

Accredited and Licensed by

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Baylor BU Baylor Bear Habitat News News
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