Above: Lily and Hope shortly before denning this fall. Notice the long hanging tags on their collars. This is to tell potential hunters that they are research bears. There is no law against shooting them, but it's requested that hunters spare these bears. They are trying hard to get research bears protected by law, but it's a tough fight.Below: Hope the bear cub trying to survive on her own without her mother.
The story of Hope and Lily is one of the most amazing ones I've encountered with animals!
The story of Hope and Lily is one of the most amazing ones I've encountered with animals!
Lily the bear had a cub last February when she was in her den in Minnesota (Maya sent me the information). It was the first time a wild bear birth was recorded in a den in history.
In the spring, when the both emerged Lily wandered away from her cub and the tiny cub (named Hope) was lost without her mother. Because researchers and web cams were watching their behavior so closely, they felt this tiny cub would not survive without it's mother- and chose to reunite the two. The reunion was heartwarming and brought tears to everyone's eyes.
Then, the unthinkable happened. Lily wandered off again without her cub. Researchers scrambled to figure out why this might be happening. They came up with two scenerios. First, Lily was a very young mother at 3 years old. Most bears don't raise young until at least 4 years- perhaps, just like humans...a young bear isn't the most suited mother? The second was that Lily was in estrus and had to find a mate. Male bears can be dangerous and can kill young- were her instincts of mating stronger than mothering?
So all of us watched and worried. This tiny cub was all alone in the woods. Day after day, we'd get reports of the researchers trying to find her and wonder where she went. We worried she'd encounter another bear that would kill her, or starve to death without proper instruction on forging from her mother. Researchers decided this time to not reunite the two, but instead, started leaving formula and nuts out to help her. Each morning the formula was gone- but was it Hope that was drinking it? A trail cam was installed and sure enough- wonderful pictures emerged of the darling little cub eating the nuts and drinking the formula. She was a sassy little one and even started forging on her own. She had been with her mother long enough to know to climb trees and had one tree that researchers named the "mother-tree" that she stayed in a lot.
When she was about 2 or 3 months old, we got word that her mother Lily was headed back toward her cub. It had been so long! If Lily made it to Hope, would she recognize that was HER cub? Would she harm the baby? There was nothing to do, but watch nature in action. Sure enough- the two reunited again. The second reunion was AMAZING. They played together- rolled around and seemed ecstatic to be back in each others company. Lily's milk had dried up, but she started lactating again! They hung out with each other all summer, and little Hope stayed close-by mama. When they got separated for any short distance, Hope would call out to her mother and Lily would respond.
But what would happen, now? Would there be another separation? Had Lily mated again? What would happen in the fall? Would a pregnant mother bear take a yearling into a den where she might give birth? This was all new ground to bear researchers.
This fall, Lily made a beautiful den for her and her cub, Hope. They are currently rooting around in there and you can watch them from the den cam. Everyone is wondering if Lily will have another baby this winter.
After following these guys for a year, I've become attached. They are simply incredible to watch and the story is fascinating. I tune in for some quiet therapy and enjoyment. Here's the den cam link for you.
Oh yeah, and if you have facebook, here's the FB link- where they share all the updates and links.
Lastly, one reminder for you and for me; After following the eagle chick Pheonix for months last year, I was heartbroken by her sudden death of pneumonia on my birthday. It was so hard to tune to the web camera and see that baby laying there with it's wings spread to heaven. One of the people in the eagle chat room brought everyone's tears in check by writing this... "This ain't no Disneyland, people." And it's true. Nature isn't fair and can be merciless and cruel. Happy endings aren't always the way things go out there- so watch the camera with an open heart. Enjoy the beauty and embrace the change and be prepared for anything to happen. But in the meantime let yourself fall in love with these two...
No comments:
Post a Comment