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.
Munsey and Boda spent their 5th Bear-thday enjoying meat/blood frozen ice cakes, unwrapping their cardboard birthday boxes filled with fresh fish and other bear-lightful yummy foods hidden in construction themed decorations placed all around the JP Adler Kodiak Bear Habitat Exhibit on Saturday, Feb 22nd, 2020.
There were over 150 zoo guests that attended the bear-thday celebration and the Wildwood Zoo Staff and volunteers worked for many hours preparing for the event and setting up the decorations and interactive educational activity center. Zoo guests brought Munsey and Boda many wonderful Birthday treats that the boys could enjoy over the next few weeks and throughout the years.
You can fine most of my Limited Edition Greeting Cards on sale at the Marshfield Mercantile located at 355 S. Central Ave, Marshfield, WI.
Join me on Saturday Dec. 2nd, from 1:00-3:00 pm during the Holiday wine Walk!
The Limited Edition Greeting cards start out as original Intaglio Prints, pulled from my hand cranked printing press.
A selection of dance themed prints and Limited Edition greeting cards will also be sold on Saturday December 2nd at the Marshfield Mercantile during the Holiday Wine Walk.
http://focusonmarshfield.com/zookeeper-steve-burns-visits-home-kodiak-bears/
The link above is a news article regarding Steve Burns the zookeeper for Wildwood Zoo in Marshfield and his trip to Kodiak Island Alaska in connection with Munsey and Boda.
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.
The observations window offers a unique opportunity for zoo guests to observe the Kodiak cubs. Munsey and Boda especially enjoy interacting with the youngest guests visiting Wildwood Zoo! This photo and video above was taken in early October of 2016.
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.
On August 17th, the cubs were swimming in the pond located in the JP Adler Kodiak Bear Exhibit.
iMAGiNETHAT! 