Play can be confusing
August 22, 2010 – 8:04 PM CDT
When RC’s playful cub initiated play with Bow’s yearling Ty, I thought of how the same cub initiated play with Hope a few days ago. Hope didn’t understand. The two touched noses at the base of a big white pine tree. Hope blew in fear, and they both leaped up the tree to escape.
It was a different story tonight when the cub tried to play with Ty (Ty on right in pic). The cub is the biggest we know this year, around 85 pounds. Ty is the smallest yearling we know, around 140, nearly twice the cub’s weight. Their motions were quick, like fighting, but the swats did not connect or connected only lightly. The bites were more feints than actual bites, and when they did bite, they didn’t close their mouths. Sometimes the yearling pushed the cub down. Sometimes the cub rose up and pushed Ty down.
They drifted close to RC, who was strangely tolerant of Ty coming within 15 feet. Ty recognized that he was intruding and moved off with the cub following to continue playing at a safe distance from mom. RC is the most defensive bear we know and she is often aggressive towards other bears.
The two players drifted off into the bushes playing as they went.
Bears are among the most playful animals, which may be a sign of intelligence. Play is most highly developed in the more intelligent mammals like bears, dogs, cats, primates, etc.
Meanwhile, a lot is going on.
It is Hope’s 7-month birthday and Lily fans are celebrating with a party and generous donations! Wonderful and unexpected.
The interpretive nature trail at the Bear Center received some much-needed help from four groups from the Voyageur Outward Bound School over the last 2 weekends. Thanks to their youthful energy a new trail loop—including a 20’ boardwalk—should be ready for the public by next weekend. The students also moved the ‘Jan Billy’ bench given by Lily fans to the new loop, where it now sits under a cedar tree to greet hikers. Eventually the new loop will have signs identifying plants, bear foods, etc.
The Education Outreach people continued nonstop in locations across America making Bear Boxes, lesson plans, new technology, etc. Teacher survey forms continue to come in as part of the Education Outreach project. To participate, click this link http://www.bear.org/website/component/chronocontact/?chronoformname=Questionnaire.
At the same time, the newly formed grant committee was coming up with a new way to raise money through voting. That should be ready to post and mention in the update tomorrow.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center