Aster Lily and Aster were due for new GPS batteries. It’s easier to swap out the entire unit rather than replace the batteries and we can also ensure the old unit is dry before it is deployed again. Both bears have been traveling widely lately—often into remote areas. Yearlings Eli and Ellie have no trouble keeping up with Lily, and Aster’s injured leg is healing well and obviously not holding her back.
The trick to a quick and easy GPS swap is timing. We want the batteries to run down but not run out. It’s quicker and easier to locate a bear if you know where it is within its territory. Once the batteries give out we have to drive the roads and triangulate the bear’s location before hiking in to it.
AsterWe want to intercept the bear rather than chase after it. A bear with an agenda that doesn’t include us won’t backtrack for a handful of nuts. The bears don’t inconvenience themselves to accommodate us.
We want to meet up with the bear close enough to a road so we can maximize our time. There is always more work to do than time to do it.
Aster's wound shaded by her earToday, we kept an eye on the GPS locations on our computer and rushed out to Aster and Lily when we had the best chance of connecting with them. Our timing was great and we connected easily with both bears.
Aster circled around before approaching and initially shied from the hand reaching for her collar. Soon she relaxed into the routine and the swap was accomplished. She then drank from a nearby wet spot and sat to groom. Her wound is not as red as it was two weeks ago.
LilyLily came quickly and sat calmly as nuts were retrieved from a backpack. She lay down and ignored the tugging needed to swap GPS units. Lily is very used to the routine by now. Once the last few nuts were gone, she got up and walked back in the direction she came.
Next was a drive to listen for Faith’s signal. The good news is the signal was active—meaning she still has the collar on. The not so good news is that she’s in a very remote area. Hopefully we’ll find her closer soon.
Lynn at Gooseberry FallsLynn and Donna Rogers visited Gooseberry Falls on the North Shore of Lake Superior this afternoon as an early Mother’s Day celebration.
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.
