Lynn tracks down FernAbout 11:36 AM, Jewel made a rare appearance at the Research Center. She had something on her mind. A glance toward Lynn and she was back to what she was doing, walking with her nose to the ground and looking into the distance. Then she turned her attention to Lynn and got on the scale for a handful of nuts—143.5 pounds. No Fern and no Herbie. We wondered if family breakup had occurred.
Happy HoneyLynn and Gordon homed in on Fern’s telemetry signal 0.8 mile away and found a skittish yearling that had to check and double check before she would believe “It’s me bear.” She heard the voice that sounded like food, but there was a second voice. She circled to their back trail. Through an opening we could finally see her. She saw us. Lynn rattled the sandwich bag of nuts. All familiar sounds. Confirmed. She came. Lynn sat down. She came across his lap to the nuts while Lynn stroked the deep fur of her back and felt the looseness of her radio-collar. She sniffed his head, but when their eyes met close-up she felt tension, and her muzzle narrowed slightly. She wasn’t feeling totally confident on her own. Shortly, Lynn and Gordon left.
Ted eats grassThey returned to the Research Center and checked Google Earth for Jewel’s series of earlier GPS locations. About 11 AM, she was only 0.2 mile from where Fern was found. That’s likely when they parted ways. We thought family break-up had occurred. Jewel and Fern were each alone. No Herbie in sight.
Ted makes a splashFern has no GPS, just telemetry, so we headed out late this afternoon to confirm the break-up by locating both Jewel and Fern by telemetry to see how far they were apart. Their signals were close enough together to keep drawing Lynn and Gordon ever closer to make sure of the situation. Finally, there they were together at the base of a big red pine, but no Herbie. This time Fern approached confidently—without the hesitation we had seen earlier in the day. See if you can see the difference in the video of Fern posted at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqfA9Qzql7I.
Honey cools offBest guess for today; family break-up has started for this family and will likely be completed soon with Fern leaving, too.
Speaking of family break-up, the BFF Group (Bear Facts and Fun) put together a great summary of past information at https://www.facebook.com/notes/bffbetty/family-break-up-in-shadows-clan-families/257910387673121.
Donna Rogers tends gardensProgress is being made at the Bear Center. The cement floor was poured in the new addition today, but—most importantly—Ted and Honey were let out of their small enclosures. They both had a joyful swim in the pond!
Mosquitos, black flies, and ticks are suddenly on a rampage. We can’t complain. They are 2 weeks later than usual.
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.