Herbie and Fern at huge white pine - Sept 14, 2012We spent much of the day trying to catch up to Jewel, Fern, and Herbie to change Jewel’s expired GPS batteries. They gave us a workout. After triangulating on her telemetry signal, we tried to get close. But the family was too far ahead to hear our voices, and they were moving away faster than we could hope to catch up. We took a break.
Herbie, Jewel, and Fern - Sept 14, 2012Later, we tried again. This time she was more accessible but just as elusive. Her telemetry signal showed she was within a couple hundred yards, but try as we might—complete with lots of “It’s me bears”—they kept circling out of sight. It wasn’t particularly windy. It was just the 2 of us with our familiar voices. But they were ultra cautious. Not until they had the security of a big white pine did they hold up. Once they got into the familiar routine of getting nuts for access to the radio-collar, everything was as usual. In fact, the whole family was calm with no competition between the cubs like we often see this time of year.
Foliage - Sept 14, 2012Locating her took so long that the sun disappeared below the tall dense trees by the time we were hiking out. The sky was clear so there were no clouds to reflect the sun and tell us which way was west. We had never been in that area before. Jewel had led us into a new area. Walking out was a challenge, but it was worth it. Jewel is now regularly transmitting her location to a Google map on our computers. The stream of data has resumed. A day well spent.
A Lily Fan sent a new set of words that fit Hope’s name as an idea for describing Hope in the Hope Learning Center (HLC)—Helping Others Promote Education, which is what the Hope Learning Center and the Education Outreach Program (as part of the HLC) does for schools. Keep the ideas coming.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center