All the GPSed bears are safe. We tried to catch up with Lily, Hope, and Faith to put a collar on Hope, but they were too far in the woods and moving away for us to catch up. We’ll try again in the next couple days. Ribbons are now also on Dot (11), her daughter Cookie (6), Donna (11), her daughter Colleen (8), and Donna’s granddaughter Star (2, daughter of Shannon). We wanted to radio-collar Shannon, but she wouldn’t keep a collar on, kind of like Hope.
On the walk to see Braveheart and her family yesterday, we saw again how scarce and how poor bear food has become. Blueberries were dry, hard, and small. The roundleaf dogwood berries we said were coming on with a good crop are drying up. They too are dry, hard, and small in many places.
Our search for hazelnuts revealed one small shell containing a filbert worm (right) about 7 mm long (picture) which would not interest a bear. A scat full of 3-leafed Solomon seal berries (above) showed that these plants of damp soil are producing, however scarce the patches of them are. The big rains that made some big blueberries a month ago have become scarce, and bears are feeling the effects.
Braveheart’s 3 cubs are doing well, though, as shown in the picture of one of her female cubs we hope to follow as she grows up.
You again outvoted everyone (over 61,000 votes) in the Coca Cola contest to name America’s Favorite Park with 14 days to go. To vote for Soudan Underground Mine State Park go to http://m.livepositively.com/park_details.jsp?parkId=556 and vote over and over.
We also appreciated your orders for the 3-DVD collector’s set ($24.95) “Lily and Hope: Memories of 2010” at http://www.bear.org/website/gift-shop.html?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images.tpl&product_id=855.
For Lily fans in Germany, Bearwalker of the Northwoods is airing tonight. Info at http://www.wdr.de/tv/abenteuererde/sendungsbeitraege/2011/0823/index.jsp
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center