Mamma Bear and Four Cubs

Add caption

 We had some visitors just as we were getting ready to have lunch today. A mother bear and her cubs visited our crabapple tree. We thought at first we were seeing two small bears, and then mother emerged from behind the goldenrod and we knew she was a full-grown bear. We saw one cub in the tree and then a second and then a third. We watched and took some pictures through the window, so they aren't as clear as we'd have liked. After a while a car went by on the road below and although mother bear perked up, she didn't panic. However within a few more minutes, our mailman came and that spooked her. She took off towards the woods behind our house and the cubs came tumbling down out of the apple and ran after her.

Can you see all three cubs?

This is the mother with a bad foot, left; cub in tree on right.

As they ran across the lawn we noticed the mother bear had an injured right front foot. Perhaps it had been caught in a trap or something - it looked deformed and she didn't use it at all. It didn't seem to slow her down, but I expect it must be difficult for her all the same. She would have trouble tearing apart stumps to get insects, and almost certainly couldn't climb a tree or dig. I hope she makes it through hunting season and the winter.

  Just now Fred spotted them back again! This time the mother bear and two of the cubs left as traffic was picking up on the road, but the third cub remained for another five minutes or so, happily munching apples high in the tree. It  finally came down, but stopped to take a pee on the lawn (see left) before it ran off in the direction the others had taken. The tree will be cleaned of apples if they come back again. 

Such fun to watch the bears doing their normal thing, not bothering anyone and stocking up on food for the winter. Although mother bear could not climb a tree to get the fruit, the little ones were knocking down plenty so I'm sure she got her share on the ground!