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Bearwalker of the Northwoods

on Animal Planet's Wild Kingdom

April 4, 2010

DVD available for pre-order in Gift Shop

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Home \ Visit Us \ Meet Our Bears ► \ Their History

General Info

Bear Center Bears Begin Hibernation

Ted, Honey, and Lucky are hibernating. They should resume activity in late March or early April. Ted and Lucky are snuggled together. Honey is in a den with an opening against the viewing window where visitors can watch her from 2-3 feet away.

By next winter, we hope people will sponsor web cams in all the dens (about $4,000 per den) so visitors can watch the bears all winter on bear.org and on high definition monitors in the Bear Center.

This winter, White Wolf Entertainment is sponsoring a web cam in a wild den. In early January, we will install the camera in the den of a young female to see if she gives birth on her third birthday in mid-January. The state-of-the-art camera broadcasts color pictures by day and infrared by night. Activity triggers it to take video instead of still pictures. Cubs become quite active after their eyes open in early March. A second web cam may be placed outside the den so viewers can watch snow accumulate in the beautiful open setting in winter and watch the family spend time in and out of the den for a few days before leaving in mid-April. —12/27/09

April 6, 2009

Ted emerged from his den looking great with a shiny coat and sparkling eyes. He walked over a snow-covered mound to the viewing area where he played with Lucky for a couple hours. We moved the webcam that day to catch as much of the action as possible.

Lucky then played with Honey in the snow. Ted walked over to Honey and they greeted by touching noses. It was amazing sight to watch all three happy bears lick each other, gently paw each other, and touch noses.

March 5, 2009

The temperature reached 48 F degrees today in Ely, Minnesota. The sun was bright and the air was calm.

Just after 3pm, Lucky slowly emerged from the den he has shared with Honey since last fall. He first ambled towards the man-made den near the viewing windows, going into it and then exiting. He rubbed his back on its doorway, then headed for the gate. Lucky made many tracks around the area, stopping several times to dig holes and bury his face in the snow banks.

When Lucky did not return to the den, Honey emerged and went looking for him. She walked in Lucky's footsteps towards the gate. But instead of continuing to the gate, she walked back behind a few small trees to where Lucky was digging holes in the snow. Honey walked up to Lucky and touched noses with him.

Then they started to PLAY. Play continued for about half an hour. When Honey tired, she started back for the den, calling to Lucky to follow her. He ignored her requests for him to follow.

Lucky went adventuring in the snow. He dug holes, sniffed and nibbled from some tree branches, and ran to the frozen pond several times to roll around there in the snow. He made several trips back into the den and out again before finally staying in with Honey for the night.