Hungry bears abound. Great day. Then a call came that Shadow was visible. Everyone piled in the van. 
ShadowIt didn’t seem like the shy Shadow we’ve been seeing, and I was able to get a picture of her white face as she ate. She is walking with a little difficulty, but that doesn’t show when she goes after an encroaching bear. One bear she didn’t chase was her beautiful daughter Ursula. As far as people go, Shadow seemed to know she was in a safe place. She ignored them. This is the bear that, while radio-collared never gave us a close look at her in the woods. I remember one time that a skeptical wildlife manager wondered if Shadow would come up to them in the woods after her decades of contact with people. We gave him and his partner a telemetry outfit. They tried for hours to glimpse her as her signal circled them out of sight. Finally, the signal faded as she moved away from the persistent people. She is packing on the pounds. I hope that turns into a cub or two this winter. No black bear I’ve ever heard of has had cubs past the age of 26 except Shadow. She turns 31 in January. Many good memories with Shadow for the book.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center