Boda had an exciting morning testing out the remain ice formations on his little pond at Wildwood Zoo in Marshfield, Wisconsin. Little brother Munsey is catching some rays while resting on some stacked logs in the background.
Tag Archive: Marshfield Wildwood Zoo
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.
On (9/18/2018) Munsey’s weight is 755pounds and Boda’s weight is 893 pounds. This photograph was taken on 10/18/2018. Today is the three year anniversary of Munsey and Boda’s arrival at Marshfield’s Wildwood Zoo for three years.
The photograph above was taken on 11/1/2015, Munsey and Boda were about 120 to 125 pounds.
In 2015 the JP Kodiak Bear Exhibit looked like the photograph above and the cubs were markedly smaller than then the tree’s in the habitat area.
Today, new tree’s have been placed in the JP Kodiak Bear Exhibit and when Munsey and Boda had the opportunity to explore the tree’s, they quickly began to demonstrate their branch management skills throughout the afternoon.
The photograph above was taken of Boda in October 2015. The photograph below was taken on 10/18/2018.
Munsey and Boda never disappoint, when it comes to being interactive and sometimes even a little death-defying in regards to their behavior with each other and/or as individual characteristics.
Sometimes they’ll appear to be hugging each other and truly seem at peace with each other and the next minute they’ve into a full force wrestling match!
Munsey loves to play and toss his collection of field stones whenever given the opportunity. I’ve documented him tossing his stones for 30 minute periods of time, multiple times throughout the day.
When Munsey was finished with tossing field stones he decided to climb about 25 feet up a tree to retrieve some tender leaves and branches.
As much as I enjoy photographing Munsey and Boda climbing up a tree, I really wish they’d stop climbing trees! Munsey is about 840 lbs. and Boda is 860 lbs. on 8/29/2018. The boys an about 3 1/2 years old at this time.
My next book titled ” Swamp Stories” is in the process of being printed at this time and will be available at iMAGiNETHAT! Art Studio during the Northwoods Art Tour scheduled for October 5-6-7 from 10:00 am-5:00 pm. My studio is listed as Number #14, located just a mile north of Lakland Airport on Lake Bayer road. To learn more about the Northwoods Art tour go to the following link. http://www.northhwoodsarttour.com
A selection of my limited edition Kodiak Bear-themed art cards and photographs can be purchased this at the iMAGiNETHAT! Art Studio on July 27-28 -29th from 10:00am- 5:00pm, listed as #14 in the Northwoods Art Tour Guide.
At this time I’m not set up to take credit cards but welcome cash and checks.
Below are some images of collages and prints and drawings inspired by two Kodiak bear cubs that reside at the Wildwood Zoo in Marshfield, Wisconsin. The series of artwork is titled “WALKABOUT”.
(above) original collagraph print is used as a background with added watercolor and a variety of original printed and painted papers have been adhered to create a forest seen in this collage.
(above) Mixed media/ collage/ assemblage The background and bear formations are original collagraph prints, the foreground is created from handmade sculpted paper, to create the feel of a wooded rocky terrain.
(above) This original collagraph print was created using multiple collagraph plates, each inked and pulled through the press separately and watercolor was added to increase the intensity of the colors.
(above) Title: “Munsey” Charcoal drawing of a Kodiak bear cub. This drawing was created with powdered charcoal. The powdered charcoal was added and subtracted with a feather. The feather was especially useful when creating the longer tufts of fur on the bear.
Many of these images are also for sale as a reproduction print and greeting cards.
Munsey’s special talent is to collect rocks and stones and place them on his nose or forehead and toss them up into the air and hit them with his paw.
Munsey has been perfecting his technique in stone throwing for the past two years.
This morning Munsey was kind enough to demonstrate just how well he can throw these rocks while swimming in the pond located at the Wildwood Zoo in Marshfield, Wisconsin.
I had been informed that Munsey and Boda would stop climbing tree’s when they reached 12 months of age. Well, I can tell you that this isn’t the case with Munsey and Boda!
This is Munsey climbing a fairly small tree on June 26th, 2018! In August Munsey and Boda will be 3 1/2 years old and they are still climbing trees!
Munsey is about 820 lbs at this time. It’s hard to believe that a bear can manage to move that amount of weight right up a tree!
As you can see, this tree isn’t very large and I know that I’d heard a number of branches cracking as Munsey began to desend back to Earth!
It takes careful footing for Munsey to figure out where to place his weight as he makes his downward journey to the ground.
Munsey and Boda had a wet and wild afternoon pool party as they enjoyed each others company swimming in the 13-foot swimming hole located in the JP Adler Kodiak Bear Habitat Area at Wildwood Zoo in Marshfield WI.
These two loving brothers really can play rough with each other but it’s all fun and Games for these two guys!
(left to right Munsey and Boda) When I first arrived at the zoo this afternoon Munsey and Boda were taking a nap! Well, kind of taking a nap!
So if you happen to be visiting Munsey and Boda, remember if they are sleeping, it’s because they probably had a very active morning or play time. Once they’ve rested up, they are usually up and about chasing each other, swimming in the pool or in the pond.
Regardless of what these two boys are up to, I always find them endlessly entertaining to watch and document! In the two hours, I spent documenting the bears today at Wildwood Zoo I shot about 200 photographs of Munsey and Boda.
iMAGiNETHAT! 