Hibernation Time!!! On Friday morning, December 5, 2014, the eight (8) remaining bear cubs will begin their hibernation for the 2014-15 winter. In the two photos below, you see (#1) a few of the bears in the Feed area of the BEAR Cage on the top platform and (#2) the bales of straw they will be seeing on Sunday (Dec. 7th) so they can make a Nice, BIG nest! We started the process about 2 1/2 weeks ago as we started cutting down on the quantity of food. First, we went from 2 feedings per day,to one (1) feeding per day. Then, we went from 4 buckets per feeding, then to 3 buckets, then to 2, until today when they - all eight of them - received about 1/2 bucket. Today, Dec. 4th, was their Last Supper. Tomorrow morning, around 10:30am, Denise, Cheryl and I will go in - after the cubs will have been moved over to the Play area - and give them about 15 trash bags full of pine needles! Over the next two days, they will move, adjust, re-move, re-adjust and orchestrate the pine needles until they are just right. THEN, on Sunday morning, we will give them four (4) bales of straw to do the same thing. In the end, they will place their nest where they like it best. They may decide to make TWO nests, especially since there are eight cubs. We have never hibernated this many cubs before - - at one time. Or, they could just make ONE BIG nest where all eight cubs will sleep together for the next 2 or 3 months until F & W sets a date to release one or more cubs. So, what I would like to inform you is this. Friday morning, Dec. 5th, around 10:30am, watch our web cam #2 (ltwc.org) and you can see us place the pine needles in the Feed area, THEN, watch the cubs arrange it to their liking. And, THEN, on Sunday, Dec. 7th, around 11am, watch our web cam (probably the same one) and see them manuever the straw to make their nest. No more food, however, we will offer them water over the course of the winter. Usually, they decide to not drink any water, but, if they want it, it will be there for their use. Should be fun. Have a good time watching and learning! Tom
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 07:50:26 +0000
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