Juliet Holly had a good day. She was out all last night and spent much of her time in her refuge deadfall today. She also experimented climbing trees and transferring from one tree to another without descending. About 8:30 AM, 1 PM, and 4 PM, she was likely visible on the Pond Cam. Most visitors to the Bear Center today were able to see her. When she was near the pond, she looked toward Ted, but what made her even more alert were trucks going by on the highway and loud sounds from the viewing balcony. She will get used to those sounds, as the other three have, and learn that the food and cool water for a swim is available in front of the viewing area. She might be getting used to seeing Ted and may go closer and closer to him.
About 4:30 PM, she walked back to her pen and stayed there and got a bottle. The private pen seems to be a safe area, complete with a food reward to her. A highlight might have been mid-afternoon when both she and Lucky were out of sight in the woods for over an hour. There were no bad sounds, so it may have been a fun time. We wish we could have seen it and videotaped it for all to see. Gradually, Holly will get to know each bear’s personality and form the proper relationship with each.
The fourth in the series of videos taken on May 30 of Holly is posted at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTPPoWpwQmk.
Juliet's cubsIn the woods, Sue and Jim gave Juliet a new GPS unit. The other one stopped sending signals a couple days ago. They then spent some time with her hoping the cubs would come down from their tree. As the sun began to set, they gave up and hiked out.
In the community, residents are reporting more bears showing up at the feeding sites. At one site, Bow and Lily showed up alone (no males in tow) at separate times, suggesting that mating season is over for both of them.
Yearling maleAt the WRI, in late afternoon, a yearling male weighing 80.5 pounds appeared long enough to get an ID picture of his face to compare with pictures of cubs from last year. Just before sundown, Braveheart’s yearling male with the many ticks arrived. Action in the community is picking up. The increase in sightings corresponds with the flush of tender greens, especially large-leafed aster, growing beyond the palatable stage. The woods looks more and more like summer.
The Hooded Merganser female was escorted by her mate to the nest box again. When she left, we counted the eggs—now 11. When will she consider the clutch complete and begin incubating? We wish there was some way to record the little ducklings jumping from the nest box and heading toward Woods Lake. After that, we and Black Bear Field Course participants will watch the family by canoe on the little (~10 acres) lake to document survival in the face of bald eagles and snapping turtles.
We’re looking forward to Black Bear Field Courses which should have fewer restrictions than the last couple years. On the legal front, we’re preparing for the appeal. We’re also reading your good comments. Many thanks!
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center