Snowing - Feb 6, 2013Today, we were surrounded by beauty in the form of big, fluffy, snowflakes—the kind that fly up when a chickadee takes off. No wind. Just gently falling flakes that at times make it hard to see across the lake. We have 5-7 inches on the ground so far and it’s still coming down. Snow this fluffy will settle, and if a breeze comes up it could even settle in the next county. Eskimos have names for the various types of snow. We wonder what they would call this one. According to Native American folklore, snowfall during the Bear Moon means mother bears are calling for snow to wash their newborn cubs. It is a bit late for cub births—and we’ve seen that mothers use their tongues for baths—but it’s still a nice thought when there is a classic snowfall like this one.
Chickadee in snow - Feb 6, 2013Meanwhile, Lily and cubs are snug and dry far under their brush pile on this mild (for February) day (18F), and with no wind, no snow is blowing into Jewel’s den.
Power problems, possible equipment issues, and flu season kept Lily’s Den Cam and Ted Parvu down today. Recent snows have covered and re-covered the solar panels, reducing their ability to recharge the depleted batteries. The equipment wouldn’t respond to the usual remote re-booting, and Ted was too sick to make the trek to the den shed. The Team is looking for solutions.
At the Bear Center, workers are ramping up their work schedule and will be working inside the bear enclosure. That means, by USDA regulations, that the bears must remain secured where they are while workers dig a septic trench, repair the fence, and do other scheduled work in the enclosure. Whether the doors to their individual areas are open or closed probably makes little difference to the bears, if they even are aware of it. None of them have set foot outside their dens for many weeks now.
A big thank you for Lily Fans who created the GiveMN's "Valentines for the Hope Learning Center" fundraiser to help fund technical equipment for the Multimedia Classroom. Donors receive a high-resolution Shadow's Clan Valentine graphic as a 'Thank You.' Check out the fundraiser at http://givemn.razoo.com/story/Valentines-For-The-Hope-Learning-Center.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center