Upper Wall Photos and Trustworthy Bears - UPDATE January 10, 2016
June and Harry on 6-21-2012
June and Harry on 6-21-2012
Lily Fans suggested 2 pictures as candidates for the upper wall in the Bear Center. One is June and Big Harry peacefully sharing hazelnuts at a community feeding station on June 21, 2012. They have their muzzles tight together with relaxed looks on their faces. These two mated about every mating season, and June 21 is in mating season. Even a month or two after mating season, we have seen pairs who had mated remember each other and be friendly. Hazel nuzzled One-eyed Jack?s neck as she shared food with him at another community feeding station a couple months after they had mated. A Lily Fan wanted this story told, and we agree.
The other picture suggested by a Lily Fan is of One-eyed Jack with an eastern chipmunk that evidently knew him and trusted him enough that he is close to Jack in the feeding trough and is looking away rather than looking out for a swat that could flatten the chipmunk. Lily - 8/6/2014
Lily - 8-6-2014
Chipmunks and black bears share the trait of being able to assess risks and benefits and learn to trust?another story worth telling on the upper wall. A problem bears face with this trait is that fear-based management policies too often lead to wildlife managers killing the most trusting bears, thinking mainly of liability concerns. In actuality, bears that trust people are the least likely to attack.
A related thought relates to the growing bear-viewing industry in Alaska and elsewhere. Viewing and hunting don?t mix. In our experience here, old bears like One-eyed Jack are very trustworthy. Old bears with long experience trusting people at viewing sites in Alaska are among the most trustworthy bears people can see. They go about their lives as magnificent specimens. Camping Exhibit progress
Camping Exhibit progress
These are the very bears hunters would want as trophies when they move outside core viewing areas. I believe everything that could be done should be done to protect these valuable, educational bears from being killed by hunters. There are huge areas open for hunting. The areas around the few bear-viewing areas should have large buffer zones.
Two other picture candidates are these portraits of June and Lily.
Jack and the chipmunk - 6-28-2012
Jack and the chipmunk II - 6/28/2012
June - 6/29/2013
At the Bear Center, work continues on the new camping exhibit and many other changes that will make the Bear Center seem like a new place by the time we open full time in May. We?re trying to have most of the work done by the time we open for weekends on March 11.
A caller gave his perspective on the bear attack on the scout leader a few weeks ago. He said we have laws that allow us to shoot intruders into our homes but when a bear defends itself in its den, the media says the bear initiated the attack. Any Lily Fan knows what is right on this.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
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Topic: Jewel and her cubs (Read 2382661 times)