When Lily and Hope left the den that spring Hope was tiny, she looked like a little puppy. Dr. Rogers continues to check on his radio collared bears all through the summer. The collar tells the researcher where the bear is at any given moment and they are able to track their movements. Well children being children Hope somehow got separated from Lily. We find out later Lily actually got pregnant during that summer. Being worried about Hope she was found and they did catch her and reunite her with Lily.
Dr. Rogers rescuing Hope
Lily And Hope were very happy to be reunited but it was short lived and they were separated again. This time Dr. Rogers decided to leave Hope and feed her a supplemental diet which fans from all over promptly helped provide. As fate would have it this time they were reunited on their own.
Dr. Rogers feeding Hope
After that they were able to get Hope to wear a radio collar so they could keep an eye on her.
Hope with her first collar
After being virtually on her own for 2 months, from around the middle of May until July 12. Hope is finally reunited one more time with Lily.
As Lily and Hope head off for the rest of their summer adventures many people are happy to see them back together again. As the summer comes to a close Hope faces her first hunting season safely. With the end of hunting season comes the beginning of winter.
The bears are all busy now finding their winter den. The leaves are changing, the days are getting colder, by the end of October the bears have chosen their dens. Dr. Rogers is able to install a den cam once again into Lily's den. As the snow once again covers the land Lily and Hope are safe for their second winter. And the world is once again treated to a first time show.
The fact that Lily is pregnant and still nursing Hope is the topic of conversation. What will Hope do, What will Lily do, how will the new cubs do? We were soon amazed as Lily gives birth to two cubs on a cold January day. Hope loves the cubs and helps her mom clean and move them, Lily takes care of them all and the new cubs are as happy as can be.
The cubs are named Faith and Jason.
As they grow the den gets crowded but the family perseveres, the cubs grow and Hope also grows while Lily shrinks. As the winter comes to an end the bears get ready to come out of their den.
Den cam picture of Lily, Faith, and Jason
While bears prepare to come out of their den for the spring Hope finds herself with some time on her hands
paws. On a trip to the outside she discovers the the den cam. Which she discovers many times and has to be fixed.
Hope investigating the den cam
As the beginning of April rolls around the bears are ready to leave the den area. Dr Rogers makes sure Lily has her new collar to replace the one that fell off during the winter, so he is able to track Lily and her cubs.
As they venture out into the spring the bear family is unaware of the course of events that are about to take place. In the animal world it must be a part of life. And I guess we cant have life without death.
This is the last picture of Jason
Jason was found shortly after the family came out of the den. Tests showed he died from an infection in his brain from a tiny puncture wound in his skull. According to people who were still listening on the cam after the bears left the den there were howling dogs or coyotes and may have tried to grab Jason. But we will never know.
Lily, Hope and Faith leave the den area for good and go about their usual springtime activities. Eating, foraging, digging and nursing.
foraging in June
As summer starts to pass, another hunting season looms on the horizon. The researchers are trying to get Hope to take a collar again, but it seems maybe last years adventure has made her trust more hard to win over. She wants nothing to do with this device!
no way are you putting that thing on me
In Minnesota it is not illegal to hunt radio collared bears but the hunters will usually respect the radio collared ones and not shoot them. Dr. Rogers puts theses brightly colored collars on the bears and posts signs explaining theses are bears that are involved in a study.
They try many times to get a collar on hope without success. As hunting season begins once again the worry sets in.
September 9 2011
On September 20th Lily and Faith are seen alone. Hope is missing. In the next few weeks a hunter comes forward and says he shot Hope at his bait station on September 16th. It has been confirmed that Hope is the bear that the hunter took.
As Sue was looking for hope she drew this in the fungus.
Lily and Faith leaving the area where Hope was shot.
Her mom Lily is giving birth to her. She was born on January 22, 2010 on a live webcam. Her mom lily is the first wild bear to give birth on the webcam with a live audience. Lily and Hope are North American Black Bears in Ely Minnesota. They are part of a study. The research on these bears is done by Dr. Lynn Rogers and his assistant Sue. Dr. Rogers is fondly referred to as the "Bear Walker". Dr. Rogers installed the den cam in Lily's den and people from all over the world were able to watch the birth of Hope.
This is Hopes story.
These bears have radio collars on them with tracking devices. This helps in knowing what territories the bears occupy, and their current location. While "walking" with the bears Dr. Rogers accompanies the bears on their daily activities. Many of the study bears will allow him to interact with them, by checking heart rates and changing collars or batteries in the collars. You may find out much more information on Lily and Hope at http://www.bearstudy.org/website/.
This is where Lily and Hope lived the first winter they were together.
Thousands of People enjoyed Lily and Hope that winter. There was a facebook page. The fans were called lilypadders. They made up names for the various creatures that frequented the den. Spiders, mice, sticks etc., were called names like Charlotte, Speeedy and EDWood.
Spring came and Lily and Hope left their den. During Hopes first summer adventure her and Lily were separated.
Monday....I usually hate Mondays. Its back to schoolwork. back to the work week for the hubby. And just the day that says ok enough relaxing get back to work. I have much planned for this week. I want to add some stuff to the blog about crafts. It's the thing I love! I want to remodel my old doll house. It needs an update. So I would like to share that with you. And also "steampunk" my new favorite craft. More news later.....
