Bear News – July 30, 2022

Is Holly in hyperphagia? The Bear Bag Auction and the Intern’s Bowl Fundraiser.

Bear Weights:
Ted 596 lbs., Lucky 467 lbs., Holly 302 lbs., and Tasha 343 lbs.


Bear fact: Let’s talk about teeth. Bears have incisors used for cutting and biting, Canines, pointed and long, are used for ripping, grasping, tearing, catching and holding prey when necessary. Premolars are smaller and used for crushing efficiently and as a nutcracker in the diastema. Molars. Heavy crown and flat broad cusps are used for crushing and grinding. Black bears have three molars on bottom and two on top. All bears have 42 teeth; with the exception of the sloth bear which have 40, the top two incisors are missing; this helps to create a vacuum for the bear to suck up termites and other insects. It is estimated that the sloth bear suction sound can be heard up to 100 meters away. India and Sri Lanka are home to the sloth bear.


Holly in the flowers

Thank you to all that participated in the auction last week and special thanks to those who won the bags for their special bear. You donated over $3,000!

This week the bear bowl auction, sponsored by the Northwoods Bear Foundation, began July 28 and runs through July 31 at 5 pm. Bowls and contents will be mailed to the highest bidders. Click here to place your bids if you are interested in owning one of the bear food bowls and some goodies. All proceeds go to Bear Food and Care. This particular fundraiser was initiated by the summer interns.

In the past two weeks Holly has gained enough weight to move in the 300-pound range. She is climbing the Pat tree and using the standup feeder on a daily basis. She is almost done with her shed. She has gained weight but she looks sleek and dominant as she should.

Tasha is shedding very heavily but hasn’t started her mohawk look. She was seen digging in the rock den but then Lucky and Holly checked it out also. Her good play with Holly was short but she is doing well by herself. The young ravens like her enclosure and we frequently see them in there. The adult ravens are more cautious and seem very concerned when the juveniles are near the bears.

Lucky looking sleek

Lucky, weighing in this week at 467 lbs., has impressed many folks with his climbing ability. Coming down the tree is another joy; the bark has been stripped, exposing the inner bark and cambium layers. The cedar is tough and allows Lucky to hang on to momentarily knock the treats from the tray and slide down with a thud to the ground. Sometimes we think we feel the deck shake when he climbs and slides back down.

Ted on scale

Ted’s big day out started with getting him on the scale; he has gained 11 lbs. this week. This is his usual weight gain; he is entering August right around 600 pounds. Ted has done well this year.

Last year’s weights about this time (July 24, 2021): Ted 608 lbs., Lucky 494 lbs., Holly 298 lbs., and Tasha 336 lbs.Our Amazon Wishlist is still available for the bears.

Thank you all for everything you do for the bears.
Sr. Bear Keeper, Sharon Herrell


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