Birthday and Chase
November 24, 2010 – 6:01 PM CST
We don’t know what was the best thing that happened today. Was it the wonderful 25th birthday party you gave for Jason on his first birthday away from home? Jason sends his most heartfelt thank you. The cake, ice cream, pizzas, and gathering brightened his day and set us all back on our diets. Thank you! The picture shows a major gathering of Bear Center elves. Managing Director Donna Andrews (the Geode) is missing because she’s taking the picture.
Okay, the other good thing that happened today can’t compete with the good food and fun, but we were very happy that the Chase money arrived today! Thank you again! You know how hard you worked for that. We know how much it will help. The picture tells the story. Thank you.
Of course there is no bear news other than that people will gather here this weekend for some preparation work for Lily and Hope’s den cam(s).
So, it’s more bear stories from the days of yore. We’re still in Chapter 1 in the section on harmless bluster.
Jaw-popping
For over two decades, I wrongly interpreted jaw-popping, a.k.a. blowing and chomping or blowing and clacking, as a threat. When I crowded bears and they blew and clacked their teeth, I thought they were demonstrating their weapons. When Old 812 charged close and clacked her teeth, I thought she was reminding me of her biting power as a final gesture before turning away.
But then, in 1990, as I sat on a hillside quietly watching a bear through binoculars, I saw something that changed my thinking. The bear was high in a tree. It walked out on a branch, almost fell, and blew and jaw-popped just like I’d seen hundreds of times. There was no one to threaten. If a bear jaw-pops in the forest and there is no one to hear it, did it make a threat? Could jaw-popping be just another expression of fear? Thinking of situations in which I’d seen jaw-popping, fear suddenly made the best sense. All the jaw-popping bears retreated. None attacked. When Old 812 came close and jaw-popped, she immediately retreated. Little 4-pound cubs that jaw-popped when I came near were more likely afraid than considering attack.
Jaw-popping turned out to be just another form of harmless bluster.
When working closely with bears, I take jaw-popping as a sign a bear needs more time to develop trust and more space for the moment.
Deadly misunderstandings
Most people, including wildlife officials, have no first-hand opportunity to learn the meanings of harmless bluster. Nervous bears can look ferocious, and officers kill them in the name of public safety. Education is needed. As I’ve watched mother bears make blustery charges to the typical 20 feet, I’ve wondered how many people have shot mothers for doing that. Twenty feet can look pretty close when a person fears the worst.
I know bears in other situations have attacked people, and we’ll examine that shortly, but in my 44 years of working closely with black bears, I’ve never had any bear come after me and hurt me. When I see ferocious-looking bluster, I feel safe.
Thank you for all you have done to make today possible and all you do day after day.
Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center