Jewel and cub - Feb 16, 2012We couldn’t see into the dark den very well when we visited Juliet’s den Tuesday. However, the video camera saw more. When we reviewed the footage, we clearly saw Juliet and 3 cubs in the video. Once we catch up a bit, we’ll post some of that video.
Our Video Editor often needs to fast-forward through the den cam video footage. She’s discovered that Jewel and her cubs are not alone in the den! A video featuring their den-mates is posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QoL9dew2Ws .
Lily chews a stick while Faith nurses - Feb 16, 2012
Jewel 'eyes' the camera - Feb 16, 2012Today, as we talked behind the scenes about the new Volunteer web pages that we will roll out soon, we thought about how these organizations would fall flat without the volunteers. It was volunteers with a passion for bears who stepped forward to build exhibits and ready the Bear Center to open in the first place. With their talents and dedication, we opened the Bear Center on time with impressive exhibits and displays. Volunteers are what have made the field research what it is. Volunteers are what make Lily fans effective. The Education Outreach Team, Team Bear, Team Protect, Team Forward, the Lilypad Picnic Team, the Den-Watch Team, the Lily Mods, the Chat Mods, and all the Bear-keepers. In addition, volunteers have made the websites what they are and have added immensely to the ground-breaking technology and Den Cams that are part of the research. And that’s not to mention the many people who help in the field and keep an eye out for us. We are thankful for every person who steps forward and does what is needed to make this whole effort effective for the bears.
Below is another ‘Walk with June’ story from 2005.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
Date: July 5, 2005
June, Pete, and George sleep - July 5, 2005Yesterday, Monday, I radio-located June at the outlet to Eagle’s Nest Lake 2 where she crosses when moving from the remote portion of her territory to the homes she frequents on Eagles Nest Lake 1. I suspected she was headed back in to a feeding station and that I would find her at one for our usual Tuesday full-day bear walk. I debated over whether to do the walk as planned because I feared it would be a repeat of last week’s data and not at all representative of all the days in between when she and her cubs were foraging solely on wild foods in a remote area. I decided to prepare for the walk as planned and play it by ear.
I was relieved to find her still a good 2 miles as the crow flies from the homes she frequents. I figured she would eventually head there – but what she did on the way would be good data to collect so I packed up and headed in to connect with her.
After a half-mile hike I met up with June at
June covered 1.54 miles by
Of note during this time:
- All three bears fed on wild calla in an open sedge swamp – walking out on an aspen log and balancing on it to feed.
- Once again June striped bark from a cedar tree but not as extensively as in the past. While she did not lick the inner bark this time she did play with the strips much as she had done previously. The cubs also played with the hanging strips. This preceded a period of intensive play where she chased her cubs around and up trees.
- June and her cubs spent time chewing on the bones of a buck skeleton.
- June did considerable marking during the period – dripping urine and stomp-walking. She also spent time intently sniffing branches. I had located her mother, 15-year-old Shadow, and her two cubs in this general area the day before so I suspect she was picking up Shadow’s scent.
- In addition to the wild calla, June fed on ant pupae, honeysuckle, dewberry, clover, blueberries, and sampled unripe alder-leaf buckthorn and round-leaf dogwood berries.
- The cubs fell asleep quickly and deeply as soon as the nursing was over. This seems to be the pattern now they are traveling with mom rather than just exploring near a bed tree as in the spring. The cubs are not doing as much playing with each other now. Most of their time is spent foraging and frequently their food choices differ from June’s – especially George. I found him feeding on such items as wild lettuce, strawberries, and gooseberries as June fed on ant pupae.
June covered another 1.49 miles by
Of note during this time:
- June seems to use play to help get her curious cubs to cover territory. Most of their activity between their morning bed site and the RR grade consisted of play and their travel was in a nearly straight line.
- June spent 23 minutes foraging for ant pupae among the stones on the RR grade. Her cubs joined her but George also fed on strawberries and gooseberries. He is much more apt to be off on his own doing his ‘own thing’ than Pete, who is usually by June’s side.
- June moved off the RR grade to the north and continued to feed on ant pupae as well as blueberries, gooseberries, and unripe raspberries. She seemed to be actually feeding on the raspberries rather than just sampling them as I have frequently seen her do with unripe berries in the past.
- At one point June briefly climbed partway up one aspen then climbed another growing close by. She then spent time intently sniffing the ground below before returning to climb higher up the first aspen. I was not able to determine the cause of her behavior.
- June dug out a bumblebee nest with Pete at her side bawling loudly. June finally walked away and Pete continued to dig and feed. I saw no sign the bears were bothered by any stings they may have received.
- There is now definite competition for choice food resources – and the cubs win out. June gives in to their demands and moves on.
June covered another 1.13 miles between 3:05 PM and 5:48 PM, then headed to a feeding station. Of note during this time:
- June traveled east along the RR grade for about 1/3 mile stopping from time to time to forage on ant pupae but she did more walking than foraging. It seemed clear she was headed to a feeding station.
- June straddled the same small spruce she has straddled so many times before in a small clearing on the north side of the RR grade just east of the first clear-cut.
- June followed the well-worn bear trail off to the north of the RR grade and checked the bear trees there for scent.
- June crossed over to the south of the RR grade and traveled in the woods parallel to RR grade.
- June showed considerable nervousness as she got closer to the road. She frantically ran back tongue-clicking to her dawdling cubs several times. She finally ran across with Pete – leaving George scrambling to catch up.