Rowdy Bear Center celebration! Today was a perfect birthday day, Lynn said. Donna Rogers found the perfect birthday card. After opening his cards and eating cake and ice cream with the staff at the Bear Center, Lynn and Donna celebrated by taking a nap. The biggest compliment in the birthday cards, Lynn said, were the words “you have made learning about bears fun!” Lynn, in turn, thinks the animals make learning about them fun for him.
The cubs are all earsJudy Thon hopped up during Lynn's Birthday Lunch to snap a photo of Heidi Schiltz, Hank Ziobro, Nadine Long, Judy McClure, Russ Long, Sharon Herrell, Lynn Rogers, Donna Rogers, Missy Hietala, Sue Mansfield, Linda Ziobro, Kathy Kerns, and John Leonard.
LilyA gift to Lynn and the Bear Center today was 12 signed books entitled “Up North: Reflections, Moments, and Memories” by Joe Brandmeier. The books have spectacular pictures of the Northwoods with quotes from Emerson, Tolstoy, Standing Bear, Muir, and even Lynn. Lynn’s quote was along the line of the fun of learning, saying, “My greatest satisfaction comes when the bears, deer, and moose I study ignore me and begin revealing the secrets of their lives.”
Cubs mutual tongue-lickingThe deer and moose part of that quote go back to the late 1970’s when Lynn was walking with free-ranging deer and moose as part of a U. S. Forest Service study of the habitat requirements of the prey of the endangered timber wolf. It was those studies that showed Lynn how much more can be learned using trust rather than traps and tranquilizers. 
Lily has a VERY long tongue!Time spent with wild moose showed him that so-called dangerous animals are not that dangerous once they realize the person is not a danger to them. It turned out to be the same with bears—despite dire prophesies from people who haven’t done it.
Cub playAnother gift of sorts was an archived video that Linda Gibson noticed showed Lily in REM sleep. This is the first we have seen of REM sleep in bears older than cubs in a den. But it is late in the denning period with Lily about ready to leave. We very well could have missed it earlier with the lower resolution video, or it could be just now manifesting itself as Lily gets ready to leave.
Lily and cubWe know there are differences between hibernation sleep and active-season sleep—differences in position, pattern of breathing, and possibly in the amount of REM sleep. With the improved technology, REM sleep is a topic for next year’s Den Cams as another avenue of gaining insight into the minds of bears—including during hibernation.
Lily gives 'The Look' as she paws camNot to brag, but we have been pretty proud of the updates lately because of the many videos and pictures included. We have 3 things or people to thank for that. The bears—especially Lily’s advanced cubs for the terrific displays of behavior they have put on. The advanced technology the Technology Team came up with to make possible the sharp screen captures. 
What ya doin' Mom?And Linda Gibson for diligently monitoring the Den Cam archives to capture the best moments, like the REM sleep today.
Upside over!Linda began as a volunteer in California back in early 2010. Sue came to rely on her for videos for the updates. Linda volunteered nearly full time for more than a year until she couldn’t volunteer anymore. Sue said she couldn’t do without her. Linda moved here to Ely and has been working hard and long for low pay behind the scenes in many ways. 
EllieLike so many here, she is driven by her passion and is making a difference. For Linda, it is truly ‘all about the bears.’
EliWe could say the same for Judy Thon, Nadine Long, Sharon Herrell, Judy McClure, and Sue Mansfield, who show the same passion and have come to us in similar ways—as volunteers who made themselves indispensable. The Bear Center and its education mission grows stronger with each person who volunteers, shows their dedication, moves here, and becomes part of the mission. 
LilyThe low turn-over rate of the Bear Center staff says a lot about their dedication to the bears and the Bear Center mission as well.
Paws and clawsThere are many more who should be mentioned who show similar dedication as in the case of the Speakers Bureau, the Mods, Team Forward, Bear Facts and Fun, Den Watchers, Lily’s Ladies, Research Volunteers, Volunteer Coordinators, Donna Rogers, and many more among the ~200 volunteers. Others are working behind the scenes to create the Hope Learning Center and the Northwoods Ecology Exhibit. 
Ellie and EliIt’s amazing how Lily Fans, and some who were helping even before the Den Cams, have advanced the cause. We believe some in the upcoming Bear Educator Program may do the same.
In a few hours, Lily will have been in her den for seven months.
Signs of spring in the last 3 days include the first woodchuck, eastern chipmunk, kestrel, and Canada geese (heard on Lily’s den cam at 6:28 PM). Lingering signs of winter were a Northern Shrike and a Great Gray Owl seen today.
There will be 3 videos of Lily and cubs from today's footage: Part I http://youtu.be/8lxzdCCWURQ, Part II http://youtu.be/QnKdn2PVyNk, and Part III will be available tomorrow morning at http://youtube.com/bearstudy.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.