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Lily and Hope forage and play near where the family is bedded 100 feet from the den. Today was windy earlier, but when the wind settled down, the bears became more active. ~~~~~ Lynn Rogers, Ph.D., regarded by many as the "Jane Goodall" of black bears, has spent over 44 years learning about wildlife and sharing his information with the public. Using airplanes, vehicles and snowshoes, he has radio-tracked over 100 bears in the vast forests of northeastern Minnesota, studying some for as long as 22 years. Lily is a wild black bear who is part of Dr. Rogers' long-term study of black bear ecology and behavior at the Wildlife Research Institute. On January 8, 2010, Dr. Rogers installed a live video camera in Lily’s winter den near Ely, Minnesota, so the public could share in the birth and care of her cub. Dr. Rogers, along with his research associate Sue Mansfield, and tens of thousands from around the world watched on the Internet, spending a sleepless night as bouts of labor continued for 21 hours and 39 minutes. Finally, on January 22 at 11:38 AM CST, Lily made some contortions, looked under her, and began the intense, sweet grunts that mothers make only to their cubs. A loud squawk from a single female cub made it definite. Lily tucked her head under her chest to care for and breathe on the cub to warm her. This was the first time the birth of a wild black bear has been viewed live on the Internet. Lily and Hope are proving to be the best ambassadors for bears we know. The ...
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