WRI and NABC teamsAt the Bear Center, the focus was on fun with the Half Birthday Party for the bears. It was the NABC versus the WRI and team spirit was every bit as strong as any professional sports team. The first contest was to see which team could ‘mummify’ a team member with toilet paper and have the person take 3 steps without breaking the toilet paper. It was an easy win for the savvy WRI team! Next, there was a relay race where raw eggs were relayed on spoons through 4 carriers to the finish line. The NABC team got off to a slow start but came from behind to win the relay. The final score was a tie, 1 to 1, on the contests.
WRI team spiritThen it was the bears’ turns to break open piñatas to get the treats inside. At the end, Lynn thanked everyone and had Ted bear say some friendly words into the microphone. The excitement was too much for Ted. He had to get in the pool to cool off. Lynn was hot, too, but didn’t think to get in the pool. He lay down beside the pool to photograph Ted cooling off. Ted wanted to hug Lynn. He came out of the pool before Lynn could get up with his cameras. Ted probably wondered why Lynn kept squirming away, but he eventually was able to hug Lynn and snuggle his head against Lynn’s back, saying his sweet grunts all the time. What a sweetheart. Lynn learned that a wet bear carries enough water to nicely cool him off.
Ted hugging LynnThe hugging and head snuggling seem almost human. How many of their emotions are similar to human emotions? This was the closest human contact Ted has had for awhile, and from his sweet grunts throughout, he was happy for it.
We had fun with the people who do so much at the Bear Center and WRI and connecting to Lily Fans who were watching and donating. Thank you all for everything today and every day.
On a less happy note, Samantha now has only two cubs, a male and a female, so it was likely one of hers that was killed on the highway.
Turning to new life, we got the first look at a young pileated woodpecker poking its head out of the nest hole as the mother came with food.
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.