Staff and Lily Fans captured some of the action at the Bear Center the last couple days. 
Ted yawning
Today, Holly showed us how well she has figured out the pulley platform feeder. She watched it being filled by a Bear Educator up on the viewing balcony, saw it being pullied out to the Pat Tree, and climbed up to see what was available. She held it as level as she could to ingest the food without spilling it. Some spilled anyway, and she went down and searched the ground to retrieve it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCK2J6NklY0.
On August 13, Tasha showed how some bears react to hornets whose nest is being plundered for larvae in the brood comb. Hornets swarmed around her head and shoulders. She shook her head and finally ran into the pool. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEzjpM79PCg.
Lucky was less reactive on September 2 although the hornets also swarmed around him. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNEHxqoFYAE&feature=youtu.be.
Ted's action today was a big yawn as he lay in his chalet. He had come to the front of his pen to greet behind-the-scenes visitors.
Sharon gave an update:
Bear News - September 4, 2017
New at the Bear Center this week--Scott, John Leonard, and Bear Educator, Bob Hoffman created a new pulley system for the food tray on the Pat tree. This makes it easy for us to fill the food tray without entering the enclosure. The bears can climb the tree, tip the food tray, and climb down quickly to get the fallen treats. Lucky was the first bear to try it out. He maneuvered himself up and immediately tipped the tray letting the treats fall to the ground. He descended the tree and ate the treats, which included nuts, grapes and cranberries.
On Saturday Lucky found a ground hornet or bees’ nest to the right of the waterfalls. Many think when bears go after a beehive it is to get the honey. Contrary to popular belief, it is actually the immature bees or the protein-rich larvae they are seeking, the honey is a bonus.
Our fall interns John and Kohrie have been doing an outstanding job hiding food for the bears to find in the enclosure for enrichment. The bears love to climb and forage for treats. It’s one of the best ways we can mimic what bears in the wild do.
If you’ve been watching you may have noticed that Holly doesn't work as hard for her food these days. She is slipping into fall transition. Fall transition is a period after hyperphagia when metabolic processes change in preparation for hibernation. Bears voluntarily eat less but continue to drink to purge body wastes. Just a few short weeks ago she was grabbing foods and eating as fast as she could swallow; now she can hardly take one peanut without lying down to eat it.
Tasha found little treats in the log pile but had to look to see what Holly might be doing. They are competitive for food but Holly still rules the enclosure. Tasha and Lucky are still in hyperphagia. Tasha and Holly still play and Tasha follows Holly consistently.
I began brushing big Ted this week. He is shedding is old winter coat and his new beautiful coat is coming in. He really seemed to like being brushed. All I can say is he liked it and I enjoyed brushing him. Our other bears are still growing their winter coats.
Thank you all,
Sharon Herrell, Bear Curator
More on the wild bears soon, but we can say that the guide pulled his baits and tree stands from around the property today.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center