I’m not talking about me or any old guy, it’s Guy the Bear and he is looking old with white hairs all over his head. I asked him if he would get in position for a picture for all to see if I gave him some sunflower seeds. He agreed. I haven’t seen him for a very long time—years.
I was surprised to see him with the white hairs because I didn’t think he was that old. But looking back to when I was just getting to know him at this time of year in 2009, he weighed the same as he does today. I judged him then as a young adult, which would mean 4-8 years old. But if they reach full size at about twelve years of age as we have found for males (6 for females) , and he weighed the same then as he does today, he might have already been around 12 back in 2009. Now, 14 years later, that would make him around 26, which is what he looks like with so many white hairs and the round face of an old bear. I’m glad we got to see him. He acts the same as ever with his calm, accepting demeanor.
He is not a clan bear, so he is not a known-age bear. He has shown up elsewhere in the study area but this is the first I’ve seen him for years, and all I can say is “Hang in there, Guy. Keep up the good life!” If I ever get a permit to use radio collars, maybe I’ll put one on you so you can reveal to the world how it is to be an old bear and how that might affect your travels, bear/bear interactions, dominance, reproductive success, weight, hibernation, dentition, foraging, bear/human relations, and whatever you show us. Glad to see you are still getting around okay.
Thanks for coming.
And to everyone else, thank you for all YOU do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center