Got Milk? --- August 2, 2010 – 9:45 PM CDTSue spent time with Lily and Hope today to further assess Lily’s milk supply. Lily nursed Hope twice within the 2 hours. Lily is still producing a limited amount of milk—but much less than when we observed them nursing 3 weeks ago shortly after they reunited.
We’re not sure why Lily’s milk production has dropped. However, it may be related to fluctuating hormone levels. The amount of milk Hope is getting isn’t enough to provide significant nutrition, but likely does provide important trace nutrients that she wouldn’t be getting otherwise. Hope is consuming plenty of solid foods and is doing very well, so we’re not concerned with this drop in Lily’s milk production.
Lily is allowing Hope to nurse frequently. She also is playing with Hope and providing protection and a sense of security. They seem well bonded and it’s a joy to watch them together. Hope seems much more relaxed and confident than 3 weeks ago.
In the dark --- August 3, 2010 – 9:15 PM CDTWell, not literally… but a contractor accidentally cut a line, leaving Ely and the surrounding area without telephone and Internet service for much of the day. . . . Lily and Hope have moved further out into Lily’s territory and we assume all is well.
Hope’s Expanding Horizons --- August 4, 2010 – 10:06 PM CDTLily is expanding Hope’s horizons, leading her to feeding areas in an area of over 5 square miles, including the square mile or so where Hope concentrated alone. Last evening we noticed from Lily's GPS readings that she was foraging along an old RR grade. We knew the chokecherry bushes in that area were loaded, so today we checked to see if we could find sign of feeding. We found plenty! Many of the branches had been broken down and stripped of cherries. In the middle of the RR grade we found a scat chock full of cherry pits that was likely Lily’s. It also contained a few raspberry seeds (from bushes growing among the chokecherry trees) and ants. The scat contained 2602 chokecherry pits, representing 3.2 pounds of chokecherries, including the pits. We checked some data from 1989 when we walked with another mature female for 24 hours as she fed on blueberries and ants. During two 24-hour periods on July 29 and August 7, she deposited 16 and 11 scats per 24 hours, so it seems pretty safe to say Lily’s scat is less than ten percent of her 24-hour consumption. That would make her potential consumption of chokecherries, including pits, over 30 pounds per day.
Introducing RC ---August 4, 2010 – 7:58 PM CDTWith Lily and Hope doing fine foraging together, we want to introduce 11-year-old RC and her cubs. [portions deleted] . . .
Similarly, Hope is more relaxed in the presence of Lily than when she is alone. That’s one of the reasons why we believe Hope will stick with Lily right into the den. Maybe we’re becoming complacent, but Lily and Hope being together is becoming the norm.
A visit to Lily and Hope --- August 8, 2010 – 10:24 PM CDTThe highlight of this office day was a visit to Lily and Hope to change Lily’s GPS unit. The pictures tell the story. They were back in the area where they had fed on chokecherries earlier – and there are still plenty of berries. Both bears seemed calm and content.
Lily doing her job --- August 9, 2010 – 10:45 PM CDTThe highlight of the day was a visit to Lily and Hope. We found Lily doing her job of being alert to danger and letting Hope relax and rely on her.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
SusanE wrote: Portions of the reports about Lily and Hope only have been posted here. For full reports and pics, click here: 
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Well duh isn't that what bears are suppose to be 
