Studying Aggressive Behavior in Mimi Bear!

Earlier this year, around May/June we noticed that Mimi (one of our Black Bears) was displaying aggressive behavior towards the keepers. When we would open up the bear house at closing she would charge at us, sometimes huff or spit or pace the fence line. While this behavior isn’t completely atypical for Mimi it seemed to come out of no where and with an increase in frequency. We already knew it didn’t matter which keeper was opening the house as sheRead more

Christmas 2016

So, I arrive this Christmas without any issues at all- waking before my alarm and remembering to pack some food. The Keepers have left me some notes: Compared to Christmas 2015, there are a few primary differences I notice right off the bat: I am using a smart phone this year to take pictures… no more flip phone for me. I set the logbooks up on the Vet Room table rather than the counter- apparently sitting is a desire thisRead more
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Wobble Wobble

The bears have a new structure in their yard! It looks a bit like one of the Observatory Towers in Queens, New York, only smaller. Keeper Autumn, and our amazing exhibits staff, built a “wobble tree” for the bears! It’s a food dispensing tower that’s nearly 14 feet tall. We load food onto the platform on the top, then the bears need to push or pull the tower to make the food fall out. Here’s a video of Mimi knockingRead more
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Mimi Takes a Shower

Welcome to summer in the South. It’s hot. Mimi, one of our female black bears, has taken to coming to visit whomever is cleaning the bear house in the morning to get sprayed down with the hose. She’s been especially cute as the temperatures have gotten hotter. Last Sunday, I managed to coordinate my cellphone and the hose well enough to get some of her morning shower on video! Watch below!Read more