6:15 bear is quietly grooming the cub



6:18 cub is "motoring loudly".....

It's from the other cam they have t the NABC

Talk about luck

.... And visit to the Lilypad

Lily's den - March 17, 2010
I’ve spent far too little time with them and was beginning to worry that little Hope would outgrow her socialization period before she got to know Sue and me. Today I got my first look at her and snapped a few mediocre pictures. Hope is moving past her socialization period and into the period where she is wary of anything different. When Lily returned to the den, Hope showed anxiety toward her until she was sure it was Lily. She made a long nose, blew, and chomped her jaws briefly upon several of Lily’s re-entries. This is the youngest we’ve seen this behavior in a cub.

Lily and Hope - March 17, 2010
Lily was calm toward me but the wind made her tense. She was hyper-alert to any sound. Actually, I was pleased with how much she ignored me. Her main concern was wind. Rustling sounds are among the scariest sounds for bears. It sounds like danger approaching. Windy days sound like danger is approaching from all directions. My breaking a twig made her look around, finally looking at me and relaxing as if she decided it was just me. Anytime I touched the camera tube or microphone tube when she was in the den, she reacted quickly and defensively, making a long nose and looking threateningly at the tubes. I don’t know what makes her react like that toward something that has been there for her to get used to for over 2 months. It shows we still don’t understand the individual quirks of their complicated brains. Each time I’d try to adjust the camera, she reacted and came out.

Lily - March 17, 2010
Once out of the den, she was fine. I took her heart rate at 104, which is a little elevated due to wind and nervousness, but she was fine with my feeling for it on her chest. At the same time, she was restless, not holding in one place more than a few seconds before going and checking on little Hope again. Windless days are better for working with bears but they have to get used to our presence under all conditions. Eventually, she will ignore us like her mother June does.

The active heart rate of 104 today compared with 138 a few days ago suggested to me that Lily is closer to leaving the den. The high rate the other day seemed more like a hibernating bear pumping blood into its extremities.

Hope - March 17, 2010
Lily’s heart rate of 104 is what I would expect in the summer from an active bear. We’re starting to hear of bears that have left their dens around Ely now. I suspect Lily would be at the base of a big secure white pine in this weather, especially in this windy weather, if it were not for Hope. Little Hope doesn’t yet have the strength and coordination to walk and climb. Big white pines are special for black bears in this area. As I might have mentioned before, they have the strong bark and branches for bears to climb more safely than other trees, and mothers know it. Mothers pass thousands of other trees to make 92% of their beds at the bases of these relatively scarce trees.

Although the pictures today are mediocre, I was encouraged by the possibilities. In a few days of spending time with Lily this week, I’m hoping to see something good enough for a memento of Lily and Hope’s time of sharing their den life with us. So let’s wait a few days to see what we get. Meanwhile, the two bears will increasingly accept and ignore us.

—Lynn Rogers, Biologist, North American Bear Center


http://www.facebook.com/notes/lily-the- ... 477?ref=mf

Update March 18, 2010 – 8:03 PM CDT

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Lily at her den - March 18, 2010
Today, Lynn visited Lily and Hope again. Lily decided to rest quietly for awhile after he arrived. Then she came out and was calm as usual despite the wind coming off the frozen lake and blowing her fur. Her heart rate was 108, which is high-normal for an active bear her size. Temperature 50F.

Hope's fur development - March 18, 2010
The two pictures show Hope’s fur development and Lily sitting at the den entrance with her usual calm face.

About 5:30 PM CDT, Lily lay on her back in the den and manhandled Hope for a long time. Is this a form of play, part of the bonding process? One of the things we’re watching for is the beginning of play behavior in Hope. We haven’t seen any yet. It’s all she can do to stand and take a step at this point. As she develops strength and coordination, we expect to see a lot of play with Lily and with objects. By that time, they may be out of the den where Hope can more fully develop her mind by exploring, manipulating objects, learning the smells of the forest, etc.
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—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, North American Bear Center

Thank you for all the updates and news about Lily and Hope.
I understand that they are expected to leave the den soon. They will be sadly missed by all their fans,far and wide.:cry1:
I thank you all for making it possible for us to see the camera since the day Hope was born.
We have learnt so much about the Black Bears and we hope sincerely to have news of those two (and their 'brothers' ) whenever its possible.
May they live long and peaceful lives.
MERCI.

I forgot to put some pics in March 17, 7 weeks old Lily isn't letting Hope out of her clutches

March 18 the size of Hopes claws

March 19 8 weeks old

Dr Rogers came by to fit Lily with another collar. They had to try & move Hope away with a hoe in order to get the collar from the ground


Hope is trying to get out complaining very loudly