Faith on her own - May 15, 2012We searched out Faith today and found her 1.37 miles from Lily. She was feeding on vegetation on the forest floor when we first caught sight of her. She responded to our “It’s me, bear,” but approached cautiously and indirectly. She looks good and is doing just fine. She has more ticks than if Lily was still grooming her, but that’s the norm for yearlings in this area at this time of year. The ticks are unsightly but don’t seem to harm the bears.
Faith approaches cautiously - May 15, 2012After finishing the handful of nuts we provided while we checked her out, she headed back to her ‘bear business’ with barely a backwards glance. Someday we’ll try again to walk with Faith. Perhaps with time she’ll relax and allow us to follow. We would like to gather behavioral data on a yearling, but the choice will be hers.
June nurses her yearlings - May 15, 2012June’s reunited family is still together and she’s allowing yearlings Aster and Aspen to nurse. Aspen seems solidly back in the family after 5 days on his own. Today, he and June spent an hour ‘tongue-licking’—which we interpret as a bonding activity. June seemed reluctant at first, but Aspen persisted and June finally gave in.
June and Aspen tongue-licking - May 15, 2012June’s family seems very chummy, but that could change fast if Big Harry comes around. So far we’ve seen few large males—and none following an estrus female.
Someday we will catch up on videos, but there is just too much good footage to skip over! So we have posted one of Jewel and her cubs from May 1 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK6rwf5paXw.
Tomorrow Lynn will appear live with Julia Bradbury on the BBC’s Planet Earth Live. We’re not sure if it will be one of the episodes picked up by Nat Geo Wild.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center