Our bears are looking really good this fall. We’ve had a lot of acorns and other nuts this year, so the bears have been able to pack on the pounds. We have 5 bears that we’ve seen regularly this summer:
“Bob” - a really big boy. He’s probably pushing 400 pounds at this point. His gut just about drags on the ground when he waddles around. He’s a total chub chub. He enjoys sitting in the fish pond. Never bothers the fish - just likes to sit and soak and relax. Sort of his personal hot tub.
“Raleigh” - yearling male (?) who had a tough time early this spring when his mom first kicked him out. He was skinny and scared, but seems to have found his way, as he looks sleek and healthy now. Most young bears are clumsy and unwittingly destructive, knocking over patio furniture, digging up or crushing plants, etc. But Raleigh has been a very mannerly young bear.
“Mama” and the triplets - a large female who had triplets this year. Usually moms look pretty raggedy by this time of year, especially moms of multiples. But Mama looks really good, with lots of body fat and a nice shiny coat. All her cubs look fat and sassy too. It’s been fun watching them grow all summer.
They’ll be around for another month or six weeks (if they survive the Maryland Bear Hunt which starts tomorrow
) before starting hibernation sometime in December.