pine marten
pine martenLucky and Honey are still sharing the den but the Bear Center staff is hesitant to switch from the pond cam to the den cam there because it‘s still tense enough between the two that one or the other might decide to den somewhere else. Today, after seeing Honey take part of Lucky’s bedding yesterday, Curator Donna Andrews put more straw outside the den. Lucky immediately came out but didn’t seem to dare to turn his back to Honey to rake the straw into the den. He whined before coming in the entrance, then made a mad dash past Honey, both with their mouths open defensively toward each other. With Lucky back in his corner and Honey still in hers, both settled down peacefully.
On this quiet, snowy Sunday, it was a good day to write a report to the DNR regarding the upcoming research permit renewal. So there is no news about the wild bears.
It was nice to read an article in the Ely Echo newspaper about pine martens which mentioned a 1977 study by Dave Mech and Lynn Rogers (http://www.bearstudy.org/website/images/stories/Publications/Status_Distribution_and_Movements_of_Martens_in_Northeastern_Minnesota.pdf) that recommended there be no legalized trapping of pine martens. The Ely Echo article mentioned their recommendation as a possible factor in the recovery of pine martens that has occurred in northeastern Minnesota.
We’re getting good emails from Lily fans working behind the scenes.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center