Lucky is back to his antics This morning Lucky climbed a tree, which one of the local veterinarians said was an indication he was not in pain.
Again, we have to commend the veterinarians who pulled off a field operation with the kind of care usually found only in top indoor facilities. Dr. Gordon Stull, the lead surgeon, couldn’t stop talking about how local veterinarians accomplished an IV drip, intubation, oxygen flow, and constant monitoring of heart condition and tissue color without a hitch. We already knew we are in good hands with the local veterinarians, but it was nice to hear how impressed someone from far away is with them.
Although Lucky is doing well, the local veterinarians would like him to stay in his protected enclosure (the pen with the chalet where Ted denned) a couple more days. We agree, of course, and like the idea that Lucky is where the eyes of Lily Fans can keep and eye on him, too, via Ted’s Den Cam.
Lucky being in Ted’s space triggered musical dens. Honey was in the double holding area where she and Lucky denned. The door between the two areas is open so Honey could use both sides, and the door to the big enclosure was open so she could roam. At some point, she moved down to the wooden window den. However, Ted was also free to roam with Lucky locked in his chalet area for recuperation. He apparently had his eye on the wooden window den. When Honey left the window den for a stroll, Ted took it over. Honey has now returned to her original area where she spent the winter.
Lucky is getting royal treatment. The staff is offering him every healthy food he has ever shown a hankering for. This includes nuts, kiwi, grapes, romaine lettuce, carrots, eggs, apples, and bear kibbles. He is being picky, so his appetite might not have fully returned yet.
Lily and family are still in the same location, moving about in the vicinity. From her GPS locations, she is staying in an area less than 50 yards in diameter.
Paperwork consumed the day. We are anxious to revisit Jewel and Juliet to get them transmitting GPS data like Lily is. We hope the snow is mostly gone by the time we have to trek out to Lily’s area to change her GPS batteries. More snow disappeared today with temperatures over 60F.
Volunteers with Donna RogersMore signs of spring. The chickadees that arrived last fall with the cold weather have skedaddled. Only a couple remain. Today, we saw the first tree swallow, fox sparrows (a dozen), and sharp-shinned hawk. Seven bald eagles gathered at Woods Lake and several more at Robinson Lake, two of the first lakes to open up. We suspect that as the ice melts, dead fish and other foods trapped in the ice become available. On Robinson Lake, nearly a week ago (April 23), Judy Thon saw a pair of trumpeter swans walking on the ice.
Also, a big thank you to Christine McCray, Becky Hollis, and Shelley Carmichael for helping Donna Rogers make progress on the flowers. All 3 are past graduates of WRI's Black Bear Field Study course and graduated this past weekend from the NABC Bear Educator program. They stayed on for a few days to help out in any way they could. Donna Rogers put them to work in the gardens on this beautiful blue-sky day!
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.