Mystery bear's snowy backOn this Thanksgiving Day when feasting is the tradition, the mystery bear participated in its way. It visited the community feeding site again. The pattern of snow on its back with none on its face suggests it had been bedded with its face tucked under as it snowed. To still show that pattern after arriving suggests that it wasn’t bedded far away.
Mystery bear snow-free faceIt feels strange to refer to the bear as “it.” We usually refer to bears as “he” or “she,” dignifying them a little more than “it.” Actually, we had to go back and change “he” to “it” after writing “he” because the muzzle strikes us as a “he.” But we’re not sure.
Happy Thanksgiving to the bear and all.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center