The Bear family and me.. with Gordon Buchanan-BBC 2 (3 parts) 3/1/2011 Part 1/3

It is well worth watching Kathy. As Sue C said, we even watched Lily in labour and saw Hope soon after the birth. As you heard on the programme, they don't know if Lily is pregnant again this year, which would be unusual when Hope is still so young.  Once you start watching the site though, it can become addictive !!

Hi Brenda

Thank you for your recommendation, and the chance to find out more about the bears on here.  It is good that you follow the bears with interest away from the Bear programme

Yes, many wildlife sites are interesting to watch and that is one thing that is a joy to participate in, and to pick up knowledge about the bears and their lives.

Bears are so under-estimated as animals, and are seen as the 'big bad bears' of the world.  It is knowing the species and treating them with respect as wild animals go.  I pray to goodness that the Bear hunters do not hurt any wildlife in the programme

Getting more more interested now how the 3rd part will end tonight.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

The 3rd part

Wow,  it was not what I expected it to be.

The issues relating Lily getting back with Hope out of sight from Gordon.  Hope had not given up at all and she must have persuaded her mum to look after her.  This is one thing we may never find out about at all!

The hunters in the programme displaying all 'shot' animals with their heads stuck on the walls in their houses.  It is very distasteful IMHO

Last time I ever saw any 'trophies' on the wall was when I visited South Africa in 1991 to visit my family.  My mothers brother has various trophies on his wall - including one male lion he shot himself.  He then preceded in telling me the whole story about the killing of the animals which he said he found near his home in the open land or bush as it is called in SA.  I found the story a bit distasteful, but to him it was a normal occurrence in life - shows how differing views apply in the wildlife world.

He did not know I was working in a conservation group in Scotland at that time, and I was doing a lot to help wildlife, and not destroy it.  So we where worlds apart.  My mother 2 sisters where not that way inclined only the menfolk seemed to want to hunt for whatever reason,  Never got the opportunity to ask them why they wanted to shot any animal at all  - I would now though!

I loved the way Gordon asked one of the hunters to see the Bears for himself and he learned such a lot from the experience.  I really hope that he has had a change of heart now and hunting is off his agenda now - and he tells his hunting friends of his experience with the bears.

It was sad to see that one of the female collared Bears had come to a sticky end.  What a sad thing to do and whoever shot the bear did it with no heart and no feelings at all - just bang bang with the gun!!!

I really hope that Gordon will visit once more and we get another programme on the progress of the bears once more - or even meet Lily and Hope once more in the future sometime

You could see Gordon starting to well up with tears as he said 'this was the last time I was going to see the bears' - it was heart wrenching and a lump in the throat was there for all to see.

Really enjoyed the 3 hours of this beautifully constructed film of human and animals relating to one another - who could wish for more.

Well done Gordon - great show!!

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Well I think that i will be the fly in the ointement on this one regards Gordon.

I have loved watching the 1st + 3rd episodes of this series. (Missed 2nd must watch on IPlayer) Love the commentary by Gordon but sometimes feel 'quite strongly' that I'd love to spend the time watching the wildlife rather than the presenter. On this occasion I loved the footage, doubt that it would have been possible to gain it in any other way, but feel a bit, quite, uncomortable with the amount of human contact, even choosen interaction, there was between the beers + humans.

I have to say having travelled extensively in the USA, in bear + other remote, not mainstreem places to visit, with lots of precautions to keep food out the way + campers safe, in my 20's, the bear was def more feared than the bison. (It does have a far greater range though!!)

Great series + great insight into a misalligned animal well worth a look.

I think there was a lot of theatre in tonight's episode as I don't remember Gordon as being the one to find that Lily and Hope were reunited this time, as the radio tags showed they were together before they were seen. I understood from the site that food was left for them on most occasions with  little human contact, unless they wanted to check on their health/ condition. Although, I think the programme showed that the bears did not completely trust people and only saw them as a source of food. Gordon's contact made good TV though and will have raised more money for the project and excellent advertising for them.I was bothered though when they showed Hope wanting to play with Gordon. I did enjoy all three episodes though.

Hi Brenda

I was thinking the same thing about the meet up with Lily and Hope as there was no story before Gordon mentioned that he saw the two bears together.  It was although the programme missed out a chunk of the story about the bears.

Yes, Hope was a little unafraid of Gordon. and I hope all the bear pampering has not caused Hope to become too humanised.   As a young bear that is not a good thing for her future with so many humans about the area.

Great news about the money for the project too.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

I follow Lily and Hope on FBook and have done sice she was born.I have copied and pasted for those interested.

Lily, a 4-year-old wild American black bear, is part of the long-term study of black bear ecology and behavior being conducted by biologist Lynn Rogers of the Wildlife Research Institute near Ely, Minnesota. Lily made Internet history when a camera was placed in her den and the birth of her lone female cub, Hope, was broadcast live to 25,000 viewers on January 22, 2010. Hearts melted as Hope's tiny paw reached out to touch Lily's nose just after the birth. Lily and Hope became ambassadors for bears worldwide.

Unfortunately, one cub was not enough to keep Lily from coming into estrus last spring. Lily abandoned Hope during the May mating season. Five days later, Hope was found - 2 miles from where she was abandoned - and reunited with Lily. However, by then, Lily's milk ducts were clogged and Hope became weak trying to keep up with Lily. Researchers stepped in and began feeding Hope a special formula. When Lily abandoned Hope a second time, no attempt was made to reunite them..

Researchers set up a feeding station to keep Hope alive in the wild until wild foods became available and she could forage on her own. They also placed a tiny radio-collar on Hope so they could monitor her movements. Hope thrived. Eventually Hope and Lily crossed paths and reunited on their own. They travelled and foraged together through the late summer and fall, and they denned together in late October.

To learn more about bears and this bear research visit the North American Bear Center at www.bear.org/website/ and the Wildlife Research Institute at www.bearstudy.org.

Hi all,

I did enjoy part 3, and seeing the unforced bear reunion was heartwarming. Nice to read your thoughts and I suppose we should always be wary of theatrical story-making. Thanks Sheena for your paste-up from Facebook.

Hi Sheena

I've been dying to comment on part 3. Thanks for giving me the opportunity!

Firstly, thank you for the extra information and links. Something to look forward to learning more about.

I agree with what has been said so far and I too felt that Part 3 had some worrying aspects. Say what you want to but those bears came to a human carrying food. Some of the tagged bears could not possibly have remembered Gordon in between visits but they happily approached for food.

I know a special bond was created with certain bears and they did seem nervous when 'strange' humans approached but two things in particular worried me; Hope approaching Gordon to play and not for food and the hunter also being able to get so close to the bears because he had food.

Anyway, I guess the benefits outweigh the dangers although I still fear that those beribboned, collared, trusting bears will be more of a target for hunters than the truely wild ones.

My opinion only, of course. I thoroughly enjoyed the series otherwise.

Cheers

Pipit