Bears Are Busting Out All Over - UPDATE July 10, 2024
Ursula approaches
The biggest surprise is 19-year-old Ursula who we haven’t seen since August 22 of 2022 when she had no cubs. She had litters of four in 2017 and 2019 before disappearing with only one appearance until today when she showed up at her favorite feeding spot with three cubs, her familiar scar, and her usual peaceable presence. She is the mother who was filmed back in 2015 with her three cubs for Wild Animal Reunions TV program. Now here she is, maybe to say she is alright and would like to again use her peaceful personality and pretty face to represent bears now being filmed by Peter Lown who also filmed her for Wild Animal Reunions. In fact, Peter’s good memories of Ursula in Wild Animal Reunions is a big reason he is back. Thank you Ursula.
Another treat today was seeing 15-year-old Jewel of den cam fame with Fern and Herbie back in 2011 and 2012. Today, she again had two cubs (sexes unknown).
A nice time with the super Bear Course participants was a pontoon ride to Lily and Hope’s den of 2010 with a stop on the way to see how the two young eagles are doing. One was perched on a branch near the decades-old nest, and the other was in the nest with only the top of his head visible.
Along the way, we saw a loon ignore us and keep grooming as we slowly went by and a spotted deer fawn that was watching us from shore.
Good times.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center