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Hope is alive
June 2, 2010 – 10:08 PM CDT
This morning, we thought Hope had no chance. We knew yesterday’s rain soaked her and thought last night’s near-freezing temperatures probably weakened or killed her. And Lily is foraging miles away and not looking for Hope. No one has seen Hope for almost two days, and she was emaciated to start with. We thought there was a good chance she had died.
But what if she is still alive? We kept looking. Hard.
At 12:30 PM, we spotted her crossing a road in an area she knows well—the area where she was captured on May 26. She was hurrying across a gravel road walking away from a tree she had frequently used with Lily. We hurried to the spot where she entered the woods and went in, trying to scare her up a tree, but we saw nothing more. She was headed generally toward the area where she and Lily spent the most time this spring. We searched there. It’s very possible she will remain in the area long enough to find the supplemental food we’ve put out. Our goal is to give her the best chance for life in the wild. This is also scientifically the best option. There are various kinds of research. Most of ours is observe and report. There also is experimental research to test hypotheses. Intervening as we did with Hope and Lily is the latter type of research. Putting Hope back with Lily tested several hypotheses about why they separated. More on that later. Our first thought is Hope’s survival at this point.
Here are the options as we see it with the current information.
1) Not intervene. Let nature take its course. It is surprising how many advocates of this feel it is okay to kill a bear but not okay to help one live. We know from studies across America that cubs of Hope’s age die without help. She may die anyway, but we feel we should try to help because it is the right thing to do and because from a scientific standpoint there is more to learn from Hope’s life than from her death.
2) Return Hope to Lily again. This assumes we could catch her before she dies. If we did, would Lily stay with Hope any better the next time? And by the time we might catch Hope, would Lily have any milk? We feel the time for this option has passed.
3) Totally intervene. Put Hope in captivity and give her intravenous feedings. This again assumes we could catch her before she dies. A problem with this is that we don’t have the authority to put her in captivity; she belongs to the State of Minnesota. Assuming that a rehab facility was found that has room for her and that permission were granted to place her there, tranquilizing her for intravenous feedings could threaten her life, and restraining her for that would be traumatic. Finally, not all rehabbed bears are released into the wild. If she were not released, it is possible she could be placed in the North American Bear Center’s world-class forested enclosure with Ted, Honey, and Lucky. This would mean the Center would draw big crowds, reduce its debt, and educate more people about bears. But we are thinking of Hope. She deserves life in the wild. We are also thinking of science and education. Hope has more to offer science and education as a free-ranging bear than as a captive bear.
4) Attempt to supplement her food in the wild. The fact that she is in an area she knows probably means she will remain there and find the bowls of formula we have begun placing where she and Lily have spent time in the past. This is the plan most likely to get high quality formula into her as soon as possible. It is very labor intensive, but we feel it gives the best chance of survival for Hope and, if successful, will be best for her in the long run—living wild and free. The supplemental feedings should become less frequent—the same as nursing becomes less frequent—as she eats more and more natural foods. This early spring is bringing on the berries early. Blueberries are almost full size already and need only to ripen. Strawberries already are ripe (and abundant in the area where Hope was seen). Ant pupae should be extra abundant following this warm, dry spring. Hope needs only to gain back her strength to take advantage of the wild food. We want to give her a helping hand. If we eventually can catch her, we’ll fit her with a tiny radio-collar to learn more about her life.
Nothing we can do assures her survival. But we feel option 4 gives her the best chance of survival and quality of life, given the information we have now. In the process, she may provide research information that can help other bears. New information tomorrow could change things. We’ll be out looking and placing food. Many others are looking, too.
Thank you for your major help toward the unbelievable 2 to 1 matching offer.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, North American Bear Center
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Thank you Michele, sounds encouraging!
thanks Pat for the good news!!
