This Christmas Ducky production is fun. It livens the days of minimal bears. It reminds me of the fun online back in 2010 and 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK3_4qZUnIo 
Santa Ducky video
It puts a smile on faces before I have to admit a mistake. I made a mistake last night naming one of Shannon’s male cubs Ray for Ray Fenner when we already had a Ray for Ray Bernard—one of Juliet’s cubs in 2014. No, my memory is NOT going; I’m only 78, and I have to write a book yet (starting this winter). Juliet’s Ray will also represent Ray Fenner.
Maureen O'Brien at workIn Shannon’s litter, the third cub will now be Roger for Roger Holmes. Roger was a good, honest, fair DNR official who rose up the ranks as I knew him. I trusted him. He worked with me in trying to pass legislation adding bears to Minnesota’s protected list in 1971 and again in 1975. In 1999, after a 7 year hiatus without a research permit, there was a change in administration. I asked Roger for a permit. He went to work. At Rep. Willard Munger’s funeral, I asked him how it was going. He said the naysayers had had enough time. He was going ahead. That was the beginning of the current research, Den Cams, and accelerating the move toward the North American Bear Center. I can’t mention that, though, without mentioning incoming DNR Commissioner Allen Garber and his Assistant Commissioner Kim Bonde. When things got tough for me, they got going. They said the right things to the right naysayers, and I was on a road to success. Their names are on two of Lily’s cubs for this year, and one of Faith’s cubs from 2015.
NABC Cub Room with O'Brien mural
Northwoods Ecology Hall Exhibit with full length mural by Maureen O'Brien
close-up of mural with Lynn RogersA woman who helped with the North American Bear Center is Artist Maureen O’Brien who painted the big floor to ceiling murals that add class to the Bear Center when a person comes in the door or enters the Northwoods Ecology Hall. I had liked her work and the way she portrays bear cubs. All I can say is thank you to her for putting her heart into it. As an extra touch, she hid a 4-inch high picture of me with my red jacket walking in the snow in the Ecology Hall mural. You have to look to find it. Ursula’s female cub is Maureen.
So far we have 25 of the 27 cubs in this year’s nine litters named. We have two female names to decide yet for Star and Wendy’s cubs. Ursula’s four cubs include one of unknown sex that we’ll have to wait until spring of next year to name.
Donna’s: Lou, El, and Carolyn
Braveheart’s: Miles, Hugh, and Hubert
Shannon’s: Willard, Dean, and Roger
Ursula’s: Albert, Wendell, and Maureen
Lily’s: Garber, Dave, and Kim
Star’s: Ulie, Cliff, and female
Wendy’s: Wilson, Bob, and female
Daisy’s: Marylee, Wally, Dayton
Ellie’s: Ralph, Judy, and Cinnamon
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center