May 12, 2012 - Jewel the Black Bear - Jewel and Cubs 06

Jewel and her cubs frolic in a tree then come down to forage on ants. Bears prefer ant brood (pupae and larvae) to the ants themselves, but the ant colonies are slow to develop this year so Jewel feeds on ants.
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At the Wildlife Research Institute, biologists Lynn Rogers, Ph.D. and Sue Mansfield, M.S., along with their team of researchers, have spent over 44 years studying black bears and sharing their information with the public. Their work has been recognized as one of the four major studies of large mammals in the world.
Using trust rather than traps and tranquilizers, they are conducting the longest, most detailed study of black bear behavior and ecology ever done. A focus is on reducing bear-human conflict.
They share information with the public through publications, lectures, field courses, the Internet (bear.org and bearstudy.org), TV documentaries, and the North American Bear Center. The Center is dedicated to advancing the long-term survival of bear populations by replacing misconceptions with facts.
Many people say these nonprofit organizations have changed their lives by giving them a better understanding about black bears and making it possible for them to fully enjoy living and hiking in bear habitat.
Visit www.bear.org and www.bearstudy.org to learn more about the research and the bears who are part of it.