Chances are good that Lily is pregnant - UPDATE January 15, 2010
January 15, 2010 - 10:40 AM CST
Watching Lily in her den is as exciting and new to us researchers as to anyone else. We have many questions and are waiting for answers.
On Monday, I visited her den to adjust the camera. She came out and stood facing away from me a foot away. Her genitals were more swollen than I’ve ever seen on any bear—a larger area more swollen than any female in estrus. Was she about to give birth? Had she produced a stillborn cub? If the latter, why didn’t anyone see her eat it? I saw nothing in the den.
On Wednesday afternoon, a viewer saw her bury something in the bedding and thought it was a cub. Was the viewer right? Why didn’t anyone else report it?
On Thursday morning, she curled up and spent over 20 minutes licking her genital area and the bedding. Had her water broke? At 3, Lily is at the minimum for reproduction, so there is a question whether she can complete her pregnancy. She was plenty heavy in fall, but a nagging thought is that she may have used up too much energy after fishermen unknowingly disturbed her from this den. Lily temporarily moved 2 miles away and tried unsuccessfully to dig 3 dens in soil that was too rocky. After a few days, she lay down and idly gnawed at some branches. Then she seemed to make a decision. She got up and returned to the present den and raked bedding into it for the winter.Females that weigh over 175 pounds in fall have a good chance of producing cubs. 10 of 14 females of that weight gave birth at age 3 like we hope Lily does. Lily was well over 200 before her unsuccessful den-making foray. We will all be relieved when she gives birth and we can begin watching her care for them at each stage of development. —Lynn Rogers, Ph.D.