Bear at feeding station - October 15 Inquiring minds want to know. Questions that are coming in include the following:
Do you think Aster will be able to find a den or dig one? Answer: Aster took some of the mystery out of that one at 4:38 AM when she moved to her den of last year and has now spent the day there. We’re betting she found a den.
How do you think the cubs will do? Answers: We believe they will do okay. They are visiting one of the community feeding sites each night and probably getting bigger than most other cubs. Previous research showed cubs that are orphaned this late in the year can make dens. The sample size is small on that, though, which is why we are asking to radio-collar them and watch overwinter via a den cam or two.
Any chances of them hibernating with Aster? Answer: Highly unlikely.
Dogwood berriesCan the cubs build a den together and survive without feeding like they would have with June? Answer: We doubt they will build a den together but would love to be proved wrong. The sample size behind our doubt is very small.
How about a foster mom, like Lily? Answer: We don’t know how we’d get them accepted by a foster mom at this point, and they seem to be doing fine on their own.
A Lily Fan wrote: I do believe that all animals have souls and spirits so I know that June’s soul is watching over Cole and Ember. I also believe Dot and June know how much you did for them during their days on this earth and that you continue your work to make future bear generations’ stories be heard around the globe. All this gives me some peace too.
Elsewhere, we believe Jewel and Ursula have found den sites, considering the length of time each has remained in a small area. As darkness fell this evening, Lily went on the move. We’ll see what she does overnight. Does she have a den in mind? It’s getting late enough that even mothers with cubs should be settling down.
The photo is a bear we don’t immediately recognize. A resident captured its picture through a window at one of the community feeding stations.
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.