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Squawking Cold – UPDATE February 4, 2013

Jewel and yearling - Feb 4, 2013Jewel & yearling waking up - Feb 4, 2013  Lily’s den won the squawking contest today.  Her cubs must have been feeling too many cold drafts under Lily.  The computer thermometer for Ely read as low as minus 36.  Somehow the cubs survive, thanks to attentive moms.  Jewel’s yearlings seemed a little quieter than usual.  Maybe they weren’t begging to nurse so much in the cold?  The official Den-Watchers will have the real data.

Jewel - Feb 4, 2013Jewel sleeps while a yearling peeks over her - Feb 4, 2013After being up solid for over 24 hours (a record?), Lily’s Den Cam went down last evening and was out till nearly noon today.  The cold burned up so much propane that both tanks ran out and the batteries simply got too cold to provide enough power for the camera.  With new propane tanks in place and the solar panels cleared of any snow, hopefully the batteries fully charged with today’s sun.

We’ve waited too long for the equipment destined for Ted’s Den Cam from the tests being done on Lily’s Den Cam.  We’re buying new equipment for Ted and hope to have his Den Cam up within a week.  Nobody knew Ted’s equipment would be tied up this long.  Bear Center staff have put their heads together to best position the camera to see Ted in all that straw.

Thank you for all you do.

—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center


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