Jewel chews hers right rear footpad Shortly after 2 PM CDT, which showed as 1302 CST on the Den Cams, Jewel gave the best looks ever of a bear removing old footpads. She bit and clawed at her right rear paw, squarely in front of the Den Cam, as can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLUe-I8m1q8. In the HD image, you can clearly see the difference between her dark calloused old pads and her light tender new pads.
In Lily’s den, around that same time, the robust cubs were nicely visible as Lily rearranged her bedding. We didn’t realize how deep her bed of wood chips was until we saw her dig down and down and then even further down today.
Lily's cubs (female L, male R)
Lily and cubs (female L, male R)Last night we mentioned how lucky we are to have Nadine Long and Judy Thon and that the huge changes they made in their lives to help spread the message were not for the money. At the request of a couple Lily Fans, here are details. Nadine is by far the highest paid person at the Bear Center with an annual salary of $24,000. Judy Thon balances out Nadine’s high salary by being the lowest paid person with an annual salary of $6,000. We wish we could pay people more, and we are thankful for highly talented people who will work for what the Bear Center can afford. Everyone there is worth much more than they are paid. Most are not there primarily for the money.
Lily's cubs (male L, female R)
Lily 'bear-handles' female cub as male waits his turnNadine and Judy are there because of their passion for the message and their love of bears. We can’t be luckier than that. We wish we could pay every employee more, but we don’t have government subsidies and are totally dependent upon admissions, retail sales, and donations, and we are about to go deep into debt due to cost overruns on the new addition (blasting, etc.). Nadine and Judy (and the entire staff) will work toward sustainability, perhaps with hopes for benefits and higher wages in the future. We know many other people in animal-related endeavors who also work to do what is right for low or no wages. What Lily Fans have done to increase the Bear Center’s economic stability is amazing.
Lily's cubs (male L, female R)We are also thankful for the 20 volunteers who will fill the Bear Educator slots.
At the Wildlife Research Institute, no one is there for the money, either. Sue and I worked as volunteers until we no longer could. We now take salaries of $30,000 each, which is a fraction of what state and federal biologists are paid for 40-hour weeks. We both continue to work totally as volunteers at the Bear Center.
NABC staff - March 9, 2013We anticipate great things happening at the Bear Center with Judy and Nadine and the dedicated staff members doing all they can to make the Bear Center and the new Hope Learning Center all it can be. Lily Fans are helping, too, as you know.
Celebrating in the picture (right), left to right, are Linda Gibson, Terri Schocke, Nadine Long, Lynn Rogers, Kathy Kerns (red hair), Donna Rogers, Judy McClure, Lora DeWeese, Judy Thon, Heidi Shiltz, John Leonard, and Micki Papesh.
Thank you Lily Fans and the staff for all you do—and for caring.
—Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center.