Juliet and Cub #3With the recent thawing and melting, the snow has a crust strong enough to support a human, but it’s better to wear snowshoes just in case. This is the time for exploring the woods on snowshoes.
We didn’t have to tell Holly about the crust, she is out walking on it in her pen. Lucky has not ventured out yet and may not know how easy the walking is. Same for Ted. Or maybe they know more than we do. A crust can cause new footpads to bleed. We don’t know the condition of Lucky’s and Ted’s footpads. In previous years, we’ve thought that Ted and Honey have trouble shedding their old hard footpads, making it uncomfortable for them to walk. We’ll see if that happens this year.
Big-toothed aspen leaf melted into snowWith 50 degrees (F) and bright sun, leaves like the big-toothed aspen leaf pictured were melting into the snow. Things will change fast this next week with temps predicted in the 40s and 50s (F).
Cub #3 chews on beddingThank you for a big step toward the opening of the Northwoods Ecology Hall. In the past 24 hours, you’ve covered the costs for the Red Fox (red phase), Beaver, Snowshoe Hare, Woodchuck, Spruce Grouse, Ruffed Grouse, Mink, Northern Flying Squirrel, Gray Squirrel, and Eastern Chipmunk. For each of these donations, we will have a plaque engraved with “Donation by [name]” or “Donated in memory of [name].” Many thanks.
Juliet pulls away when cub chews her dangling footpadThe list of needed available taxidermy with prices is here. The list shows which mammals have been donated and which are available.
We also have a list of small mammals and 155 local nesting bird species that we need to find specimens to be mounted. Our salvage permits (federal and state) allow us to collect birds that have hit windows, wires, vehicles, etc. We will build habitats to display many of these appropriately.
Mutual tongue-lickingMeanwhile, obtaining the available taxidermy mounts of the mammals and fish on the list will allow us to open the Northwoods Ecology Hall. Making it 'all it can be' will take longer. Each time people come back, they will see new exhibits—same as the rest of the Bear Center. We’re making good progress as we focus on recovering from the past year and moving forward on the new addition.
Thank you very much for all you have done this past year in so many ways.
Juliet's Cub #2Today was a great day. We talked to several Lily Fans. Hearing their thoughtful analyses about what happened this past year told us once again we are not alone. Hearing from one of them that our Black Bear Field Course she took in 2012 “was the best experience” and made the greatest difference in her life of anything she has ever done told us the bears are making a difference. Another told us how a friendship she formed during a Black Bear Field Course almost saved her life. When she needed a kidney, the Bear Course friend scheduled to donate one of hers. A cadaver kidney made the trip and donation unnecessary but it shows the strength of their friendship. We heard the emotion of another Lily Fan who had lost a dear Lily Fan friend to cancer. They had grown close on Lily’s Facebook page. This is why Lily Fans feel like family.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center