Tonight’s report starts off with some pretty sad news, if reports are true. Apparently, a boar found the Obsidian sow (815F, 7 year old female) that I photographed just yesterday with her three new cubs, and chased them into the trees. Mom was ahead, the tiny kids were following and the boar right behind them. Mom has been seen searching for her cubs, but several hours later she has not found them and some think she has given up. Male bears will kill and consume cubs in order to get a chance to breed with mama and that is a big reason so few grizzly cubs survive to maturity. Statistics show that at least half of all cubs will not survive.
My heart is absolutely broken over this news. Last night, photographing those beautiful cubs, watching them play and seeing how good mama was with them, was delightful. My lips and heart were smiling when I headed towards home. There are some days when I wonder if the heart can take any more of getting to know the animals and then losing them. But, I have respect for nature and must accept the bad with the good and move on. The way of the world.
Which reminds me, my friend, Judy, told me last evening that a park ranger, who had just had a baby a week ago, dropped dead a couple of days ago. This news hit me hard. And, in the end of my thought process I could not help but think of how precious and fleeting life can be. And, to think that there are people out there who are wasting this precious life trying to hurt and destroy other humans – they are so consumed with hatred that they have forgotten to live and care for what they have. Very sad. And, that is why I keep going.
On to today. My friend Morlene is visiting and we have had quite the day. A black bear sow and cub at Hell Roaring, same near Tower Ranger Station, a single black bear at Calcite, two young marmots, a huge black bear boar on a carcass in Little America, a black bear sow and two yearlings in Little America, a grizzly sow and two cubs at Crystal in Little America, a fox near the Confluence in Lamar, 926 and T in Lamar, two Mollies in Lamar, and a coyote at the black bear bison carcass.
The fox was Morlene’s first and so this was her first 3 dog day! Pretty exciting.We hung out at the bison carcass most of the afternoon, watching the black bear. And then the rangers came and announced that they were moving the carcass to hell and gone – way too far for photos. You would have been proud of Judy when she gave them hell for taking away our photo op. I was proud of her! We kind of did good cop/bad cop and I was the good one for a change. But, guess what? They decided to leave the carcass much closer and really in a pretty good spot.
So, the next task was seven guys approaching that big black bear and telling him to leave. The bear refused. No amount of shouting and clapping was going to make that bear leave his food. So, they got the paintball gun out and that convinced him to run off. Then the guys pulled the carcass up the hill and barely got it moved before the bear returned. It was great action and made the bear realize that he needed to eat. That guy is so fat and full, it is really kind of funny.
Actually, as I write this, I am sitting in my low chair near the carcass, with a rain jacket over my head and computer to keep the raindrops off. It is cold and windy – so much like winter right now. I am shivering. And tired from a long day.
We are hoping for a grizzly to come in and take over the carcass, or some wolves to come feast. Something more than a sleeping, fat black bear.
I have heard, but not seen, that the peregrine nest at Calcite has three babies! And, folks saw two sows, each with two cubs, in the Calcite area – black bears that is.
Most people saw 4 black Mollies in Lamar today but I only saw two. And, 965 was seen in Lamar Valley. The two Lamar females headed out the Lamar river trail but had been howling from the den area before that. I could hear 926 howling and she sounded a little miffed. Hopefully, 993 was home with the pups!
A lot going on in Yellowstone right now!
Some of the bear scenes from the Tetons with 610 and her yearlings, along with a guest appearance by 399 and her cub
Again, thank you so much for sharing your hard work and all your information. I had no idea of the mortality rate of cubs. It must have been a special day for both you and Judy. I look forward to your newsletter every day. Thank you so.
Thank you for sharing this story and showing both sides of living in the wild.