For Those Who Like Bears ;-)))

[CuriousByNature]

5 hours ago, samhexum said:

• They opened a door, and the two bears ran off into the woods safe and sound with the third bear.  Officials believe they got in the vehicle by opening a door, but it’s not clear how the door then closed.

Did anyone see someone with curly blonde hair in the area?

[samhexum]

The bear known as Grizzly 399, who PBS dubbed the "most famous grizzly in the world," was killed Tuesday evening after being hit by a car in Wyoming, according to officials.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the bear was identified through her microchip after being hit on a highway in Snake River Canyon near Jackson, Wyoming. A cub was with her at the time of the accident, but the service said there was no indication the cub was involved in the accident.

Grizzly 399 was an iconic resident of the Grand Teton National Park, located near Yellowstone National Park. Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins described her as one of the animals that makes the area's national park ecosystem "so extraordinary."

"Grizzly bear 399 has been perhaps the most prominent ambassador for the species," Jenkins said. "She has inspired countless visitors into conservation stewardship around the world and will be missed."

The 28-year-old Grizzly was one of the most photographed bears at the park and is the oldest known reproducing female grizzly bear in the greater Yellowstone park system. She's birthed a total of 18 cubs in her lifetime, though only eight have reached adulthood.

PBS dedicated an episode of its "Nature" series to Grizzly 399 in May, titling it "Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons." Trevor Bloom, a wildlife biologist with the University of Washington, noted in the episode that she was seen raising four cubs which he noted was "rare" for bears.

"That's like a human having quadruplets," Bloom said.

American nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen first saw Grizzly 399 in May 2006, an exciting but fleeting moment for the photographer. He was among the first to photograph the bear and her cubs, which kickstarted years of documenting the grizzly through the lens.

He told Stanford University in 2021 that Grizzly 399 became the "poster child" of bear conservation. Grizzlies are a protected class as a threatened species, but not considered endangered.

Grizzlies are a subspecies of brown bears and once thrived in North America prior to the early 1800s, but their populations became threatened by European colonizers who believed them to be a danger. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the species were reduced to 2 percent of their population by the 1930s and by 1975 there were only upwards of 800 bears in the contiguous 48 states.

Protections have been put in place to help the bear population rise and now there's an estimated 1,923 in the contiguous U.S., the service said.

[samhexum]

Grandfather dead after bear shot in a tree falls on him while hunting

[samhexum]

https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/meet-albert-fattest-polar-bear-150544218.html

 

Polar bears are built big, but one in Alaska has taken that reputation to new heights. In the small town of Kaktovik, locals know him as Fat Albert, a bear who has captured attention simply because of his enormous size.

At nearly 680 kilograms (1,500 pounds), Albert dwarfs the average polar bear, which weighs closer to 450 kilograms (990 pounds). His oversized frame makes him stand out even in a place where bears are a daily sight. Though not the heaviest ever recorded, Albert’s story has reached far beyond the Arctic.

[samhexum]

 

Okan the bear feeling better at a wildlife center in Istanbul

Unusual footage of a 200-pound bear with an upset stomach being wheeled on a stretcher and scanned through an MRI went viral in Turkey this week.

Okan the bear was feeling sick after he ate too much fruit, so he was taken to Istanbul University’s Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, where he was treated and later released, according to CNN affiliate CNN Turk.

“Our bear, Okan, was taken in with stomach pain and abdominal discomfort. Our veterinarian at Çekmeköy Rehabilitation Center immediately noticed tenderness in Okan’s stomach area,” Park of Istanbul Nature and Life Complex Board Chairman Burak Memişoğlu told CNN Turk.

“He underwent a CT scan to check for any masses. However, the CT scan results came back clean, and his blood count was also checked, and there were no problems. He’s fine now; he’s very tame and happy, and he’ll be in the pool to cool off soon,” Memişoğlu added.

Visitors enjoy seeing him playing back at the wildlife park and recognize him from the news.

This isn’t the first time Okan ate too much fruit. He received similar treatment for the issue three years ago. That’s also when he received the popular Turkish name, Okan.

“Three years ago, when our new employee went to the hospital and didn’t know our bear’s name, he quickly said, ‘I gave him my own name, his name is Okan,’ and our bear’s name was registered as Okan,” Memişoğlu told CNN Turk.

Workers at the wildlife center are continuing to monitor Okan and adjust his food so he doesn’t have tummy troubles again.

“Our veterinarians and biologists here are adjusting our animal friends’ food intake; the amount doesn’t change, either up or down. Okan now eats seasonal fruits and vegetables, and bonito fish and honey in the winter,” Memişoğlu said.

[samhexum]

• Bear terrorizes New Jersey Dollar General, bites 90-year-old woman before being shot

• A shocking encounter unfolded Tuesday afternoon when a black bear wandered through the aisles of a Dollar General store in Vernon, New Jersey, after biting a 90-year-old woman. 

  The unusual sighting occurred around 4 p.m., when the wild animal was seen roaming the store’s aisles. It lunged at shoppers and pets, raising fears that the animal was sick, according to CBS News.

  In a video filmed by local real estate agent Sean F. Clarkin, the 175-pound female bear walks through the store as everyone looks on, terrified.

  Clarkin, who tried to guide the bear out of the store, could be heard nervously talking to the animal, “What’s up, buddy? You are one big, nasty motherf—-r.” As the bear approached him, Clarkin’s voice grew increasingly frantic, “Where the f–k is the door?” 

  The bear had already bitten an elderly woman in the leg before Clarkin began filming. The woman was rushed to the hospital, and reports later confirmed the bear had also attacked a local’s dog.

  Despite efforts by police to corral the bear back into the woods using rubber bullets, the animal kept returning to the store, prompting authorities to make the decision to shoot it. 

  In the video, Clarkin is heard urging the bear toward freedom, shouting “Freedom, buddy, freedom!” as the animal appeared unbothered by his commands. But moments later, as the bear’s demeanor shifted, Clarkin shouted, “Get away! Get the f–k away! Move!”

  The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Fish and Wildlife Division is now investigating the incident.

  Clarkin later posted a statement on social media, calling attention to the root cause of such encounters — unsecured dumpsters.

  “After years — decades — of the municipality allowing restaurant and business dumpsters to remain open and unsecured, we’re now witnessing the consequences,” he wrote.

  “When bears have easy access to human food, their population grows rapidly, leading to unnecessary annual hunts. If we reduce access to dumpster food, we’ll see a natural decline in bear populations and, in turn, less need for these hunts.”

  As officials continue their investigation, the unsettling incident highlights growing concerns over human-wildlife conflicts in suburban areas.

[+ purplekow]

Probably a hungry mother bear looking for food for her cubs.  No mention if cubs were found perhaps we should call Robert Kennedy Jr.