The cub who was so tiny at the start of the summer is looking so big and healthy now! She and her mom recently walked a bear trail in our neck of the woods, giving us a nice view of how big the cub is!
Here was mom as she passed the camera.
This is still mom, a step later.
Then, here is her cub. She is looking SO big!
The camera didn't catch the cub going over the fallen tree but I so enjoyed seeing her healthy!
We now have two bear families intensely using our neck of the woods. The other one is the mother with two cubs. I am hoping so strongly that one of these families chooses the den for this winter that I have staked out with a cam. These cubs will stay with their moms through the winter and early spring. So they will share dens with their moms!
I have some fun footage of the mother bear with the single cub at a water hole. I talked with a biologist about the fact that the bears love this absolutely horrendous smelling water hole so much. As one of you suggested a while ago, the biologist's first guess was that something in the water kills both external (e.g., ticks, fleas) and internal (e.g., intestinal) parasites. That might explain why it seems to be the favorite water hole of our bears every summer.
At this water hole, the bears make sure to get this water all over their bodies, including their heads, whenever they bathe there. You'll see that in the first 3/4 of the video. Then, later that evening, the pair visit a very clean water source. It's fun to see mom stop in a certain spot for a noisy drink, lapping up the cold water, and then her cub imitate her behavior so closely!
Here's the video. I hope that you all enjoy it either here or at Youtube.
Hari OM
ReplyDeletean affirmation of life!!! YAM xx
They are sure fun to see and the video is terrific!
ReplyDeleteDo they have unwritten rules between them that they cannot both bath at the same time. I really want to know
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. In years past, mother bears have played with their cubs in this water hole. This pair is different in that regard - I've never captured footage of the mom playing with her cub in the water or anyplace else. I keep wondering if she's a first-time mother due to her serious behavior and the fact that she has only one cub.
DeleteI love the fat cub. There are two black bear moms with twins in the park here. Everyone but me has seen them I think.
ReplyDeletewho knew bears have their own stinky smelly spa?? like mother like cub! love it.. I noticed the cub was scratching before it got in the water and I like the slurpy splashing sounds
ReplyDeleteNot surprised about the bears enjoying the dank smelling water. They aren't exactly known as nature's bouquet of flowers in the scent department either. 😁
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that animals love stink! BOL!
ReplyDeletehugs
Hazel & Mabel
I love the bears, even if they love the stinky water!
ReplyDeleteWater, we have clean water inside but every cat goes to drink from one or the other goldfish ponds. Our cats, wild ones and strays, they all go there at some stage. Maybe like the bears, something in the water is beneficial!!! Love the cub as he bounded out and away.
ReplyDeleteWe are laughing at Bert's comment. The thought has crossed our mind too. Maybe it is a learning time where you don't do something until you see Mom do it first:)
ReplyDeleteThey sure do love their bath! I love peeking in on their secret world.
ReplyDeleteNatural sheep dip...well, bear dip. We hope they den close to your camera, too.
ReplyDeleteWow, we love your trail cams and all the cool things they capture (especially the bears)!
ReplyDeleteYour Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
It is always amazing to see how the camera captures these wonderful bears doing what bears do. Love how the babies look up to and imitate their moms!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the audio on this one, KB! :)
ReplyDelete