Orange cones keep blast holes open as drilling continues - Nov 8, 2012Construction at the Bear Center today was actually destruction—blasting beautiful bedrock to make room for the foundation of the new addition which will house the Hope Learning Center. The staff salvaged a big piece of rock for the Bear Foods Garden along the sidewalk in front of the Bear Center. We plan to label it as to the kind of bedrock that the Bear Center rests on.
Blasting mats cover holes full of explosives - Nov 8, 2012The staff simultaneously video-taped the explosions and the bears—155 yards away. We have only a description of the bears’ reactions for this update but hope to have a video soon. According to Bear Curator Donna Andrews’ notes, the bears reacted minimally to the blasts. Lucky stayed in his den and wasn’t visible enough to note reactions.
Ted came out of his chalet den and calmly looked toward the first blast, but the second blast was old hat. He jerked but didn’t even look toward it.
Bedrock shattered by the blast - Nov 8, 2012Honey is always more vocal about her feelings. With the first blast, she jerked, stood up, and chomped her teeth a few times, showing anxiety. Then she moaned quietly for a few seconds as if scared. Then she turned to asking for food.
Miles away, out in the woods, Lynn and Sue accomplished little as they tried to home in on the dens of Faith and Daisy. We ran into a newly posted no trespassing sign and will call the landowner for permission before doing anything further to find Faith’s new den. On the way to Daisy’s den, we saw a parked 4-wheeler and quietly hiked back to our vehicle so as not to disturb the deer hunter who was somewhere ahead. Deer season ends November 18 here.
We posted a video of Faith from Oct 20 & 21 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Elsewhere, the Den Cam Team is progressing toward cameras in Lily’s and Jewel’s dens out in the woods and another aimed toward Ted’s chalet den at the Bear Center.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center