By Paul Cyr
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Back to Crown of Maine
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Spent part of the day (March 16) with state biologist doing their annual bear monitoring in the Spectacle Pond area Northwest of Ashland. The pic below shows the crew getting ready to leave.
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In the previous weeks an airplane had located signals from collared bears, the coordinates were put on a map and given to the crew. We proceeded down several miles of unplowed woods roads.
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As we approach the area shown on the map one of the crew listens for a signal.
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Getting closer we swap the snowsleds for snowshoes, no need for heavy coats with temps in the mid 50's!
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We approach what looks like a large brush pile that was left by a wood contractor working in the area.
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The signal emitted by the bear's collar is coming from under this mound of brush.
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A jab stick is prepared. A poke from this will administer the sedative so the bear can be handled safely.
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A hole is made to gain access as the crew member 2nd from left approaches with the jab stick and a flashlight, he is wearing a mole cap which will keep his head free of debris.
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He enters the bear den to administer the sedative.
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The jab successful, crew members take time to plot the den location on their GPS.
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10 minutes has passed and its time to go in.
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The cubs come out 1st
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The cubs are examined, measured and weighed.
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2 of the crew (right side of picture) work on taking Mama bear out.
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This is mother bear # 1847, she is 19 years old and was brought into the program 9 years ago, her 2 cubs today will be numbered 2796M (male) and 2797F (female), the old collar is being removed and the physical begins.
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She will be examined and measured, she will get new ear tags.
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She weighs only 119, very small for a bear of her age but according to her chart is average for her, this is her 5th litter of cubs (9 total) since entering the monitoring program in 2001 she probably had 3 litters prior to that and if her health holds out will have 2-3 more.
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Blood is drawn and a new collar installed.
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This crew will visit about 30 dens in each of 3 different study areas of the state (North, central and down east), the program started in 1975 (36th year)
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The examinations all complete, time for a group picture.
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Time to return the bears to their den, what appears to be a major disruption for these bears doesn't appear to have any ill effects, this mother has had 5 litters since being introduced to the program, some older mothers with more time in the program have had female cubs come of age (5 years old) and have cubs of their own, it's not that unusual to have 3 generations collared and in the program at the same time!! These few bears make it possible to keep tabs of the 27,000 bears in Maine.
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A wake up shot is administered, new born cub weights and yearling survival have increased in the past 10 years due to more favorable logging practices resulting in more berries and ants, a big part of their diet
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Cubs are reunited with their mother.
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The entrance to the den is covered back up.
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Time to pack up the equipment.
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Off to the next den...
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A few more pictures taken that day.
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This bear family will be revisited next year to see how they've made out.
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Time for a snooze.
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The crew in the northern area also collared their first 6th generation bear, her great great great grandmother (ID # 225) wore a radio collar here 30 years ago !! they also had one 25 year old female (ID # 912) give birth to one male cub, oldest female to give birth recorded in Maine.
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Randy Cross, group leader has been with the program many years, a pleasure to work with and very accommodating.
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Last year MAP, a local advertising agency that I work with, sold pictures as a fundraiser and used the proceeds to purchase 3 pairs of snowshoes.
One is shown in the picture below. MAP is willing to do it again this year. Funds generated from the sale of pictures from this series or either of the two previous bear monitoring series shown on www.northernmainephotos.com" will be used to purchase badly needed equipment to help facilitate the Maine Black Bear Monitoring’s mission.
thank you
Paul Cyr
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