Bow's boys drinking - May 18Somehow Lucky got ahold of Holly’s burlap bag through the fence. A tug of war ensued. Holly tugged valiantly even though she had no chance. Holly Cam watchers said Holly was not happy.
Bow's yearling - May 18Out in the woods, Jewel and her 3 cubs moved maybe a hundred yards (Google Earth not working today, so no precise distances). Juliet left the small area she has been the last couple days and made a big circle out to nearly a mile away and back. We’ve seen mothers do that before, leaving their cubs at a safe tree—usually a white pine or a cedar.
Bow's family heads off - May 18Aster walked over 3 miles today, which makes us think she is healing nicely, and ended up at the deep rock den that so many bears seem to know about. Lily moved a couple miles and then stayed in a very small area for the last 10 hours and counting. Could her search be over? Could she have found the male she was looking for? We hope to intercept her tomorrow.
Vultures waitingBow was her usual self when she and her two yearling males visited this evening. Too nervous to eat, Bow sat or stood by the cubs facing away from the food. She was on alert toward the woods—an anxious but very good mother. Last evening, we got a photo of Bow leading her yearlings off into the woods after the yearlings paused for a drink in a marsh.
Eagle and vulture feed on deerA Nature Note: This is the time of year to be alert for deer beside roads. Grass is coming up on the sunny shoulders, and deer concentrate there and become used to the traffic. We slow down this time of year. It’s easy to spot dead deer in the ditches. They usually attract ravens, eagles, and turkey vultures. The pictures show a concentration of birds by this carcass, with 6 more vultures in a big aspen waiting their turn.
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.