Snowshoe hareOne of the projects in progress at the Bear Center is developing the Nature Trails. From roughing out the initial trail, to building steps in steep areas and boardwalks over damp areas, the trails have been built almost entirely by volunteers. The work continues as we enhance and expand the trail system. Volunteers are turning the Nature Trail system into a major educational opportunity for visiting busloads of students.
This winter, trail cams were installed along the Nature Trail to see what animals frequent the area. Today, a check of one trail cam revealed a flock of pine siskins, a raven, a blue jay, a pine marten, a snowshoe hare, a red squirrel, and an animal that had not been seen there before—the nocturnal flying squirrel.
Pine siskins
Pine marten
Other animals recorded on the Bear Center property over the years include bears, wolves, coyotes, moose, deer, and more. One of the two bears was a bear walking down the sidewalk in front of the building after hours. The other was Dot passing through on a jaunt outside her territory. She wasn’t actually seen, but we watched our computers in disbelief as her GPS locations moved east through the Bear Center property, hovered near the Ely water tower at the very edge of town, and then returned west.
The “Grizzly bear charges at Alaskan tourists” video has been making the rounds (http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/grizzly-bear-charges-alaskan-tourists-video-010559736.html).
Red Squirrel
Raven
Whoever posted this video needs some education. Most Lily Fans can look at the video and interpret it without getting lost in fear and misinterpretation. The bear is fishing in a stream that Lynn knows well (Geographic Harbor in Katmai National Park) from guiding many groups there to watch the bears close-up like this group is doing. In Lynn’s 10 years of guiding such tours he never felt any of the bears were a threat.
The bear in the video is peacefully fishing when another bear around the corner or in the brush startles it. The bear runs for safety, which happened to be toward the group. There is excitement but no danger. The bear pays little attention to the people. The bear keeps looking back to see if the other bear is coming. It then goes about its business.
Flying Squirrel 
Blue Jay
But someone with a video camera decides to hype it up with a post that the bear is charging the group, suggesting great danger. That happens so often at the expense of the bears, and the media is quick to jump on these things as something to promote. Fear sells. People believe it, and bears pay the price. So unfair. Showing reality is what we’re about, and whoever posted that video under the guise of a bear charging people could use a dose of reality. Lily Fans know the reality of bears, having learned directly from the bears themselves, and many of you are sharing the good word.
Jewel's cubs - March 2, 2012A video of yesterday's highlights of Jewel and cubs is posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxjhOCzyU3Q.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center