JewelJewel was off the map all night, so Jim and Bec had their work cut out for them today. There was no signal anywhere near her last known location, so the hunt for Jewel was on. They drove all over to track down her radio signal in an area she is expanding into. Both Jewel and Aster have been exploring this area. Then Jim and Bec walked in nearly a half mile to give Jewel a new unit and get her back on the map.
Snapping turtleFaith’s GPS has been sending intermittent ‘low battery’ signals, so Jim tried for her this afternoon. He couldn’t find a road in to the remote area where her faint signal was coming from. Hopefully she will be in a better place tomorrow morning.
Snapper laying eggsCharlie Russell arrives tomorrow, and also a dear couple who are passing through on their way to Saskatchewan. We’re looking forward to their visits. Mike and Lorie will be here as well to help with fieldwork, so this will a busy place!
We’re also looking forward to Charlie’s presentation at Vermilion Community College Friday night at 7:30 PM. If his pictures at http://nabc.eventbrite.com/# are any indication, it will be a terrific presentation.
Snapper heads back to the waterToday, a snapping turtle with a 13-inch shell (carapace) and an overall nose to tip of tail length of about 29 inches laid 44 eggs while we left a high definition video running on a tripod to record what she did. The photo shows the last egg dropping into the nest she dug with her back feet. It was the best opportunity we’ve had to record the egg-laying process from digging to covering up the nest and walking away. It will likely be an exhibit in the new building if we get video of bears digging up turtle nests to go with it. In that building, we want to introduce the animals that bears interact with.
A video of Lily and Ellie playing on June 3rd is posted at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHCEYH7O_BM.
Thank you again for yesterday.
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.