Bear Identification

Today I spent the morning studying pictures of the bears found at Brooks Camp.  We have a Identification book that contains pictures and descriptions of the bears that have been seen.  Each bear is given an identification number but some of them are familar enough to be given a nickname.  There are about 100 plus bears in the identification book from last year.  So I was studying the pictures so that maybe when I get up there I might recognize one or two.  My favorite bear is Milkshake.  I don't know how she got her name but
she gave birth to four very cute cubs.  At the end of the season though she lost one.  The bear monitor said she knew that she was a goner because she was always way behind the rest of the group.  It will be interesting to see if all three of the remaining cubs and her show up this spring. Cub mortality is high the first years.  I also learned about Lurch.  He is the dominant adult male.  One bear you don't want to mess with.  He is a very large bear that I hope I only study from a distance.  Supposedly next week at bear training we will see a video of him attacking the last dominant male. 

Made the daily trip to the post office and still have not recieved the big food boxes sent in the middle of April.  I was told that parcel post from the states could take up to 12 weeks to arrive here.  Isn't that crazy?

I also found out that I will be going to Katmai Bay on the 31st and will return the third of June.  Katmai Bay is on the eastern coast.  I will be out of contact with civilization completely those days.  I am hoping to see lots of marine life on that trip. 

Tomorrow is B3 training in the morning and Dunker classroom training in the afternoon.  I am scheduled to test out in the pool Thursday afternoon.  Can you say nervous!