Please check out the link below to take a peek at two art books that I’ve created through The SKETCHBOOK Project. The titles of the two books that I’ve created are: SURIVORS II and A PEEK INSIDE.
SURIVORS II – Library Call Number:375.59-9 A PEEK INSIDE – Library Call Number: 375.59-8
https://sketchbook-project.meteorapp.com/library/S266231
There are days when Munsey and Boda are chillaxing in the winter sun, dreaming of the warmer spring and summer months that will bring the smell and tastes of fresh buds on the trees and little animals running around their habitat area and the refreshing water in their pool and their pond.
The winter in central Wisconsin provides Munsey and Boda a pond full of ice to excavate and Munsey case, it’s a supply of objects to toss into the air!
Boda is more interested in releasing his downed tree trunk, so he can move it around and show off his brute strength.
Munsey and Boda truly enjoy each other’s company and they are never separated from each other for more than 15 minutes. Of course, they are bears and they love to wrestle with each other. On Sunday, February 23rd, I documented the boys wrestling for about 45 minutes out of the 90 minutes I was charting their activities in the Bear Woods Habitat Exhibit.
After about 10 minutes of wrestling Munsey and Boda take a short time out to catch their breath before starting the next wrestling match. They aren’t growling or creating any loud vocal sounds directed at each other, usually just a lot of heavy breathing from the extensive physical activity.
Then it’s time to rest, roll and slide around in the snow and dig up more ice chunks to break apart or toss into the air. At this time Munsey is in the past 900 lbs. and Boda is over 1,000lbs.
This first video is of Munsey as he awakes from his afternoon nap.
The following video’s are of Munsey and Boda playing with a fire hose. Munsey has learned a new trick over the past few days. He’s learned that he no longer needs to tread water for 30 minutes and hold his breath for long period of times to retrieve the fire hose. He’s discovered that if he kicks his hind legs around long enough, he’ll move the the hose from the bottom of the pool to the surface and capture the hose.
Boda is most often seen on the side of the pool because he doesn’t seem to enjoy swimming in the deeper water of the pool.
On Tuesday October 18th, Munsey and Boda had a grand time playing with a fire hose that was given to them by the Wildwood Zoo staff. The cubs swam in the deep pool area that is located in the JP Adler Kodiak Bear Habitat area. I was amazed as Munsey demonstrated his ability to swim in the 13 feet of water for over 30 minutes, while attempting to retrieve a section of the fire hose that had sunk to the bottom of the pool.
In the photograph below, Munsey is swimming with the fire hose that retrieved from the bottom of the pool.
The second section of the fire hose also sank to the bottom of the pool and to my surprise Munsey was able to retrieve that second section of hose. From my observation it appears that Munsey was learning to hold his breath a little longer with every attempt he made as he submerged his face into the water. It will be interesting to see if he masters this skill in the future.
Some of the staff from the Baraboo Zoo stopped in to learn more about the JP Adler Kodiak Bear Exhibit, and view the Floyd & Pat Hammus Bear Bridge and the Bear Woods.
If your planning a trip to visit Wildwood Zoo in Marshfield and want to see the cubs in action, I’d recommend that you come between 9:30 am to 11:30 am. The cubs have their breakfast around 9:00-9:30 am, afterwards the zoo staff will usually hide some fruit and vegetable snacks for the cubs to find. It’s always fun to watch the cubs go on a scavenger hunt for their snacks!
The cubs are served their lunch around 12:30-1:00 pm. After lunch the bear door is unlocked and the bears can go in and out as they wish, which means they could choose to take an afternoon nap inside the bear building. (If you find them napping, remember they are only 20-21 months old and they need their rest because they’re still growing. The cubs are now about 410 and 433 pounds, the cubs are considered mature at around five years of age.)
The tall center door located in the JP Adler Kodiak Bear Exhibit is designed specifically for Munsey and Boda. This door gives the cubs the ability to enter and exit the bear building. This door is also unlocked on the weekends.
Steve Burns (head zookeeper at Wildwood Zoo) brings a pail of fruit to the observation window and requests a little girl to assist him by ringing a cow bell.
During your visit please remember to donate a few dollars to help support the Zoo. You can find the collection canisters stationed at each of the zoo entrances.
New signage is on display in front of the Bear Woods section of the Kodiak Bear Exhibit at Wildwood Zoo. A team in Kodiak, AK and a team in Marshfield, WI. collaborated to create the new signage and the public can expect more Kodiak bear signage to be added in the near future.
This morning, Steve Burns ( Zookeeper at Wildwood Zoo) informed me that Boda’s weight is 415 pounds while Munsey ‘s weight is 400 pounds. I secretly keep hoping that one day in the near future Munsey will gain enough weight and catch up to Boda weight.
The photograph on the left was taken in October of 2015 ( the cubs weight last October was 120 – 130 pounds) and the photograph on the right was taken today. It’s been amazing to observe the growth and development the cubs have made since they first arrived almost one year ago.
(photograph on the left taken in October 2015) When the cubs crossed over the Floyd & Pat Hammus Bridge for the first time the cubs were lost behind the signage on the bridge. (photographs on the right taken this morning) Today the bears can be seen as they cross over the bridge. I’m looking forward to documenting the continued growth and development of the cubs over the next few years.
While visiting Munsey and Boda this morning I had the opportunity meet a few zoo guests and share some information with them about the cubs.
iMAGiNETHAT! 