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What is happening?

Lily_and_paw_-_20100117_104158
Lily pauses while raking bedding
Could Lily be producing colostrum already?  Hope is nursing nearly every waking moment.  The sounds she makes while nursing are like we hear when cubs are getting something.  When she is not nursing, she is bawling for access.  She is very insistent.  This seems like more than comfort suckling.  

We could go out and check Lily’s nipples, but the way Hope is nursing, they would probably be drained anyway.   We wonder if colostrum could be starting already.  We need a lactation expert to weigh in by emailingThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Hope_-_20110117_111651
Hope looks out of the den
After the day of rest that Lily and Hope had yesterday, there was much activity in the den earlier today.  Lily raked bedding from the entrance of the den, then raked bedding out of the depression she shares with Hope, and then raked the new bedding in.  Seems she freshened her bed.

How close can birth be?  We fear the cubs will be in for competition.  Let’s hope Lily can make a lot of milk and that Hope doesn’t hog all the nipples.  Mixed-age litters have survived before.  Let’s hope we are worrying unnecessarily.  Hope was supposed to hibernate.

Not all chats associated with the Lily and Hope Den Cam are related to bear.org or bearstudy.org.  The chats at WildEarth and Pix Controller are currently lightly moderated and not officially associated with our organizations.  However, if any Lily fans participate in those chats and would like to volunteer to help WildEarth moderate them, it would be appreciated. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. They have offered to provide training.

Tonight at 6 and 10 PM, Dave Hoole is doing a Nature Matters TV piece on Lily and Hope on http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/local/Lily-The-Bear-To-Have--113876719.html.

There will also be an update on Lily and Hope on Fox News 21 at 9 PM Central Time.

Thank you for all you do.

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

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