Herbie and Fern - March 13, 2012We noticed earlier today the camera in Lily’s den had been ‘repositioned.’ We wondered if Lily might have been out. With that thought in mind, we were ready to switch to the Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera when we saw her get up and approach the entrance. We managed to switch to the PTZ just in time to see her climb out. Lily emerged at 1:13 PM followed by Faith a few minutes later.
Lily stretches back - March 15, 2012They lounged in full view and then explored the area maybe out as far as 30-50 yards from the den. Lily side-rubbed a tree and later returned several times to mark it by standing and back-rubbing. She gave a playful head toss and ran after Faith. Faith mostly stuck closely to Lily. Lily raked a bit but it was an area she had raked last fall so there was little there. She finally picked up a small dried branch and ended up carrying it into the den. They were out for 51 minutes, returning at 2:04 PM. They both soon were fast asleep. Unfortunately, the den cam tube is off kilter and the reflection off the rocks throws the den into darkness.
Faith lounges - March 15, 2012
Lily and Faith roam - March 15, 2012What a rare opportunity for bears to stretch their legs. We remember the old days. This would be too early to go to dens because the cubs would be too small to ear-tag and the drugs would freeze in the hypodermic syringes as soon as they are exposed. The average high and low for this date is only 33 and 10F. Travel would be by snowmobile and snowshoes. We usually went to the dens the last week of March and the first week or two of April to get weights, blood samples, measurements, and to fit new radio-collars. For mothers with newborn cubs, we’d determine the number and sexes of the cubs. For mothers with yearlings, we’d determine first-year survival.
Lily carries branch into den - March 15, 2012This year is a chance to learn something new with the record temperatures. Temperatures are forecast to be up to 38 F above average in the next week. It is certainly much warmer outside Lily’s den than in it, but mothers with newborn cubs will not be able to leave the dens because the cubs won’t be ready to walk yet. Herbie and Fern are just able to stand and walk unsteadily like we saw with Hope. Mothers with yearlings may show us new behavior, but the lack of food means that roaming would unwisely burn up energy for naught, which may be why we haven’t seen bears responding to warm temperatures before the last week of March in the past. Responses differ with region, of course. The bears of the different regions are genetically programmed according to the regional norms of plant growth and fruiting. The record temperatures of the next week will put those statements to a test.
willow catkins - March 15, 2012This is the earliest “spring” we’ve seen around here. Red maple flower buds are swelling. Willow catkins (photo) and quaking aspen catkins began bursting yesterday or possibly unnoticed the day before.
What will this mean to bear food supply this spring and summer? We worry that early blossoming with a subsequent return to normal temperatures could set the blossoms up to be killed by frost—meaning a lack of berries. We worry about the drought that hit this area last August and continued through the winter. Last year, the berries shriveled in August. Drought in itself can mean a poor berry crop, although ant reproduction benefits from warm, dry conditions, and ant pupae and larvae are a favorite—although never abundant—food.
Zach Vavricka from KBJR-TV 6 in Duluth came today to check in with us on how the cubs are doing. The news story will be on at 10 PM tonight. The link to the KBJR website is http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/.
A 2-part highlight video from yesterday of life in Jewel’s den is posted on YouTube.
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEmjggS33R0
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuVx5wDxLWc
So, as this day comes to a close, we have 2 den cams badly in need of adjustment. We’ll see what sort of ‘repairs’ the bears can manage tomorrow!
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center