One benefit we get from the updates posted on Facebook is seeing the thoughtful comments below the updates—especially those from yesterday’s update. It’s gratifying to see the depth of knowledge, the sensitivity to what you’re seeing and hearing, and then getting your thoughts. Without your 2 years of observations, no one could make those connections. You and we are learning directly from the bears—not from reading misconceptions, not from the many warnings, not from making assumptions that make human sense but not bear sense. Unlike many, you question misconceptions and learn with us by watching real undisturbed bears doing bear things. Your statements about how much more we could have learned from Hope are well taken—so many times our learning has been cut short like that. That’s why we make every effort to learn as much as we can in the precious time we are given with each individual. We are looking forward to Lily’s next year, Faith’s next year, and what we can learn from a brand new (but related) bear, Jewel.
And speaking of Jewel, there’s a need for more Den Watchers to record standardized minute by minute data as we bring the Jewel Den Cam online in 3 days. With 3 cams to watch our Den Watchers are spread thin. If you have an hour or so a day to spare, and would like to get involved as a den-watcher, go to http://tinyurl.com/den-watcher.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center