Fisher at the WRIIndustrious Lucky is raking lining into Holly’s den while Holly remains nearby. His most surprising action was raking and carrying mouthfuls of straw from one of the new pens all the way to Holly’s bunker den. We were surprised and want to measure the distance but realized it wasn’t the first time a bear has carried bedding a distance. We don’t remember the distance but recall a bear carrying cedar bark farther than we’d have thought. They usually rake bedding, but we all saw Lily bring branches into her den where she chewed them into bedding-size pieces. A short video of Lucky preparing the den is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL6ISv7-pRM.
Fisher at the WRIAt the WRI, we wondered who is benefitting from the bear food that disappears from the scale each night. All the animals are welcome, of course. We know deer go on the scale or reach their long necks over the side. Yesterday, a fisher took his share, looking warily over the side of the scale every few seconds. He (likely a male at 10.5 pounds) saw me in the window with a camera but looked elsewhere for danger and went back to eating.
Lucky's trail of strawEarly this morning, photos out the bathroom window captured a single raccoon and a gray fox (distinguished from a red fox by its gray back and black-tipped tail). Earlier this fall, a mother raccoon and four youngsters were served. You saw the mink pictures earlier. We’re always on the lookout for bears, of course, but they are done or nearly done in the neighborhood except for the young latecomer who was here a couple days ago.
Earlier, we put out some meat donated by the local grocery store. It attracted bald eagles and ravens, but their eagle eyes caught any motion in a window, and they flew, no matter how slowly the photographer moved, so you’ll have to believe me on those.
A piece of wooded property for sale near community bear-feeding stations made us hope whoever buys it likes bears. Today, three Lily Fans bought it for the bears.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.