HollyWithout the ear-tags, Holly’s ears stand up and she is moving them much more to focus on sounds. When staff visited her today, she was calm and came readily to the gate. Progress. She drank her bottle containing the antibiotic for the festering wound, and will get a second dose this evening—twice a day for 10 days.
Holly ignores LuckyToday, Lucky came over to the fence that separates his enclosure from Holly’s. It was an opportunity for a face-to-face, but Holly completely ignored him and continued to slowly eat her lettuce. Lucky watched her until another person approached—then scooted into his den. He seems interested but confused by the new situation.
Spring is springing with temperatures as high as 50F today. Eastern Chipmunks have been out for a week or two and are now all over. Yesterday we saw our first American Robin, and today marked our first sightings of a least chipmunk and a woodchuck. The woodchuck was a young one, probably from last year’s litter.
Eastern ChipmunkYesterday, we saw the first Turkey Vultures heading northward trying to maintain their heading in 25 mph west winds. They stayed on course without flapping their wings. Melting snow will soon uncovered winterkilled carcasses for them to home in on with their super sense of smell.
American CrowThe number of ‘Likes’ on Lily the Black Bear’s Facebook page reached 150,000 while this update was being written—WOW!
As another step toward making the Northwoods Ecology Hall the best educational experience it can be, a Lily Fan called to see if we would be interested in working with a professor emeritus from the University of Minnesota on an exhibit showing how geological history led to the rock dens bears use today. Yes! The Lily Fan will make the connection and get things started. Also today, two Lily Fans drove up from Wisconsin to drop off birds for taxidermy, including hard-to-get species like a Merlin and a Northern Shrike that had hit their windows.
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Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center