Tasha, Holly, Samantha - UPDATE May 14, 2017
Holly bit Tasha, leaving open wounds. The veterinarian is coming tomorrow. This complicates who can be out with who and reduces the number of bears available for viewing in the viewing area. A problem.
Samantha celebrated Mothers’ Day yesterday by putting her yearlings through family break-up. Peggy Stubbs (Volunteer Assistant Bookkeeper) stays up late and took copious notes. Her days of writing reports as a head nurse are paying off now in her new position) Here’s what might have led to the family break-up. A handsome male showed up about 9 PM on May 11. He got on the scale. Samantha went over to the scale,and one of them said something unfriendly. I suspect it was Samantha whose yearlings were nearby. But the handsome male’s scent and presence might have started having an effect. Black bear females are induced ovulators. Scent may be important. Males get into scent-marking big time leading up to and during mating season. Samantha’s yearlings have light muzzles like this male. Could the handsome male be their father? Is this the male Samantha mated with two years ago? Both the handsome male and Samantha have been in the area since that meeting on the evening of the 11th. They have come here at different times, each finding the other’s scent. Last night, he came at 12:20 AM (Mothers’ Day) and stayed 55 minutes. She came 45 minutes later at 2AM and was already into family break-up. Any of her yearlings who tried to approach her or was seen nearby were chased up trees. They continued to come down and try to be with her. Two were crying for her. At 2:35 AM on this Mothers’ Day, Samantha left in one direction, and the four yearlings left together in another direction. Peggy could finally take a breath after running from window to window of the WRI scribbling notes on an event that is rarely witnessed. Ironically, she was here two years ago to document the date of Samantha’s break-up with her yearlings Lorie and Mike on May 16, although she didn’t witness the event itself.
I’m heading home early again to do work for a deadline, but Peggy will be here watching for the yearlings, looking for any injuries, and looking for Samantha to see who she might be with.
Yesterday, RC was here with only two yearlings—Rambler and Ohio. Valentine was missing. We’ll be looking to see how that turns out. More on all of this as we know it.
Meanwhile, we’re concerned what to do at the North American Bear Center to keep Tasha safe.
Out the window, chipping sparrows are back in number with their chestnut crowns and white eyebrow stripes. First Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
After writing the above, Samantha arrived at 7:50 PM with all four yearlings—unusually nervous. She constantly grunted her concern for the yearlings and was on alert—with brief pauses to eat. Any acceleration in her rate of grunting sent the yearlings running for trees. After a half hour, they calmed down and were normal.
The final word: I don’t understand the above. Contradictory. All I can do is document what I see and realize there is variability. It used to be easier for me to answer questions about bears when I had a small sample size. As the sample size grew, variability set in, and I became less of an expert. On the identity of the handsome bear, I have to wait to see him myself. Every day I wait for the next chapter.
For Tasha, we’re wondering how to make the next chapter better.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center