HoneyAt the Bear Center, Honey has nearly shed into her dark brown coat so she can begin bleaching into the familiar color visitors see in summer.
We looked into Holly’s new den and were proud of what she did in a couple days. We’ll see what finishing touches she puts on the excavation in the next several days. After that, we’ll want to spread bags of leaves in that pen for her to rake in for bedding as she gets closer to hibernation.
In the woods, the trail cam showed that Ember spent many hours in the contested den daily during this past week.
Holly's dug denOn the 14th she entered it at 6:40 AM and remained in it most of the day. Twice that day, Lily came and sniffed the entrance for a few minutes at 9:08 AM and 12:15 PM while Ember was in it. Ember left at 5:37 PM for a couple hours and then returned for nearly 24 hours. During that time, Lily checked out the den in the middle of the night at 1:38 AM. Ember left that evening (the 15th) at 6:38 PM.
Holly's dug denThe next view of Ember was at 11:36 PM on the 17th. A couple hours later (at 1:29 AM on the 18th), Lily sniffed around the den for a couple minutes and left Ember there in peace. Lily was persistent though. She returned for a couple minutes at 7:06 AM and at 6:24 PM. Ember left at 6:53 PM.
The next morning, with Ember still gone, Lily and the cubs were in and out of the den many times between 8:44 AM and 9:12 AM when they left. Ember didn’t return until that evening at 7:06 PM and left 2 minutes later? Did she not like the smell of Lily and the cubs in her den? She didn’t return for a day and a half. On the 21st, Ember returned at 3:54 AM and stayed until 5:57 PM. Then she left and has not been back through midday today when we retrieved the card to learn the above. We’ll see what happens next.
Mallards eating bear foodAt the WRI, ducks are sharing the food that is left over from the bears’ nighttime forays. We’ll adjust how much we put out. We want the food you contribute for the bears to go to the bears. Thank you for your food contributions.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.