Thursday, January 26, 2012

Just Incredible!

I've been so excited about this for almost two weeks now and thought others might like to know.

While listening to A Prairie Home Companion on the radio one Saturday night, they were talking to a wildlife researcher on the radio about a black bear who is expecting her first cubs to be born this winter...and very soon.

Well, being the nature lover I am, I paid close attention to the conversation! Turns out there is a web site www.bear.org that has web cams right in the bears' dens. I've been keeping an eye on her and Monday Jewel had her first babies.

If you want to get goose bumps, visit this site and you can hear everything. The microphones are incredibly sensitive and you can even hear other animals in the far-off distance. One of the babies 'screams' a lot and it's very distressing to hear both to mama bear and me, but she seems to be a good mother and responds immediately.

I have mixed feelings about the researchers working so closely with the bears (or any wild animals) because it conditions them to not be as afraid of humans as they should be but that's my own opinion. It certainly provides much needed education to others though, so I guess it's a mixed bag. Anything that helps humans understand that the creatures we share this planet with have feelings and should be respected and valued! has my support though.

Check it out - see what you think!