When will they den?
September 18, 2010 – 9:35 PM CDT
We continue to watch the bears’ movements and wonder when they will enter dens. What is it that makes them select one den over another and decide when to settle down for the winter? Lily and Hope made an unusually long movement today, so we are watching to see if that is to a den. June has been resting in her den but left briefly today to rake in some fresh bedding. Braveheart stopped by a known den site in her travels today. Watching the movements is always tantalizing. What are they thinking?
As the Education Outreach progresses with the creation of a terrific logo (pictured) for the Black Bear Boxes, a group is coming together to raise grant money for that and other projects. Linda Gibson and Nadine Long will work with two experienced fundraisers and two other volunteers on this. Linda and Nadine will need more help and will be posting an online form for volunteers to sign up. More on that as they develop the form.
Thank you for all you do. We are still eating spaghetti, salad, and other treats thanks to you. The bears are eating fresh nuts thanks to you. And we are eating unburnt toast thanks to the new toaster you sent. Also, Sharon Herrell is extremely excited about the great telescope you sent to aid her astronomy studies with children who visit the Bear Center. Sharon is the Program Director working hard to encourage nature interests in children. She makes the constellations come to life with stories of how ancient discoverers fancied what the stars show. Some of the constellations like Ursa Major and Ursa Minor have bear folklore connected to them. She will be telling those stories as she uses the exact telescope she really wanted, thanks to you.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center