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Tuesday, October 9, 2018

More Adventures of our Yearling Bear Cub

Our multi-colored yearling bear cub was exploring like crazy around the middle of last month.

A bobcat had marked in front of my trail camera, and the bear cub went crazy over the scent. He sniffed and sniffed. Finally, he started rolling in it. He's still a goofy youngster!

He finished at that site by marking a tree that no other bear has ever marked. The usual marking tree is directly behind the cub in the above photo. It's a broken pine sapling that the bears have ravaged.
The cam is now set to get footage of bears marking the same tree as the cub... We'll see if anyone else chooses to!

Next, the bear cub headed for a leaning tree that bears have marked a zillion times this year. He couldn't reach unless he climbed... so this acrobatic cub did climb!

He hung from the tree before letting go.

For contrast, here's a photo of Tiny, our biggest male bear, at the same tree back in June. He didn't even stand up to sniff the tree trunk where the little bear had to hang from the trunk to sniff.
Soon, I'll have some news of Tiny for you... he came back to our area early this year. Every year, he leaves after mating season to fatten up, and he usually returns in November or December to go into a den. He's already here this year.

Here's a video of the yearling cub as he moved through our area, sniffing and marking trees. The last sighting was 9/18... but I'm hoping that we get another peek before he goes to sleep.

17 comments:

  1. we love this guy and he has a super fashionable hairstyle ;O)

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  2. I remember this guy with the skunk stripe down his back. so cute, love him climbing that tree to reach it... the size of his paw in the video when he lifts it is immense and will be bigger... sometimes I scratch my back like that on the corner of the wall but I can't climb a tree. ha ha.. hope you are doing better each day and our sweet R is doing ok..

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  3. Your shots and videos are always such an insightful pleasure.
    Box Canyon

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  4. I love the size comparison. and what a cutie

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  5. Leaping lizards that bear thinks he is a monkey.
    What great photos and video.
    Bravo to the camera lady
    Hugs Cecilia

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  6. That bear cub is having way too much fun! We love him hanging from the tree branch☺

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  7. Don't the yearlings stay with their Mama longer?

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    1. They are born in January in the den. They leave the den with their mom around May. Then, they stay with their mom for another year. They den with her when they are about 1 y.0., and they emerge from the den with her in the spring. But then, it becomes time for mom to participate in mating season, and she drives them away when they are about 17 months old. Some people think that the male bears who come close to mom might hurt the yearling cubs and that is why she drives the yearling cubs away. That period when the yearling cubs are on their own is one of the hardest in their young lives... but most do make it through their first summer alone. Obviously, this yearling cub is feisty and doing well.

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  8. Wow! The comparison to "Tiny" really shows such a huge difference!
    KZK

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  9. Can't believe the size difference between Tiny and the cub!

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  10. We are elated to hear that Tiny is back - we were worried about him. Now this blond Frosty is just hilarious. He sure knows how to have fun - maybe that's why he has so much blond:)

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  11. That cub is quite the character! Glad that Tiny is back
    hugs
    Hazel & Mabel

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  12. What a fun guy! He sure is enjoying himself. Too bad they are always alone and not with other bears, but I guess they like it that way.

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  13. That makes me wonder - do the bears and cats ever interact - or just avoid each other?

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