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Lily and Tasha - UPDATE June 23, 2016
23 June 2016
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Lily totally disrupted Dr. Roger Powell?s attempt to show me the presentation he prepared for the American Society of Mammalogists that starts tomorrow (June 24-28) at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Mystery bear
Mystery bear

The presentation, authored by Roger, Sue, and me had to wait when Lily appeared outside. Lily was not as excited to see us as we were to see her. She did not even glance at us as we approached her. She knew she was in a safe spot with no worries about inconsequential humans?especially if one of them is saying ?It?s me bear.? Her focus was on a sound off in the woods. I tried throwing her a couple hazelnuts courtesy of Lily Fans, but she knew the meaning of a nut hitting the ground near her and paid no attention. She listened to something we couldn?t hear for a couple minutes and started toward us. She ignored the couple hazelnuts on the ground near her and came straight to the scale and got on it for the bigger reward she knew she would get there. She stood quietly and ate the handful of hazelnuts while we looked in a living room window at the scale reading?218 pounds. When she was done, she didn?t acknowledge us with a thank you. She just left. She seems to still have an agenda beyond filling her stomach. I wish we could determine what it is.
Behind-the-scenes amplified
Behind-the-scenes amplified

Out in the woods, the double dose of rainfall in May (7.36 inches versus the average of 3.20 inches) has helped create a bumper crop of berries to assure Lily can give birth in January. I?d like to watch Lily this winter along with her Fans on a Den Cam.
Speakers
Speakers

At the Bear Center, Tasha continues to settle in. Instead of frantically pacing as she did when she was worried about Lucky and Holly, she is marking her pen by back-rubbing on a post and then stomp-walking as she leaves the post. She now plays with her water bowls as a Lily Fan captured in this 4-minute video
https://youtu.be/qSIHRvfaCU0.
Also at the Bear Center, the staff saw the popularity of the hourly behind-the-scenes tours and installed a microphone and speakers so the crowds can better hear the tour-leaders.
At sunset, a skittish bear showed up at the WRI that we didn?t immediately recognize. Maybe this long lens photo will help.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center