Image from http://wildlife.org – Virginia Black Bear and Cub
“What is THAT” said Bill, as he stood at the kitchen window. “WHAT?” I asked.
“THAT black thing under the tree – down there by the tractor shed,” said Bill.
And then it moved (not the tractor shed)!
The black thing looked like it was rolling in the grass.
“Maybe it’s a big dog”, I thought.
And then the black thing got up and shook itself!
“Maybe it’s a calf from across the hill from us,” I surmised.
“No,” said Bill. It’s a BEAR CUB.” And that indeed is what THAT was.
It looked like a big dog. But then it loped off into the woods.
If we had any doubts before, there was no doubt as it did the loping. It was a healthy looking robust bear cub hurrying to catch up with Mom!
But where was Mom anyway?
Our home is close by to a virtual forest primeval.
We think of it as our private Paradise incorporating a wildlife refuge filled with deer, fox, bobcats, squirrels, racoons, ground hogs, possums, all avian varieties including a resident hawk, and of course, bears.
We have seen the Virginia Black Bear more in the last two years than in the whole 27 previous years living here.
And no, we do not leave leftovers in any outside garbage. Warning to those of you who are not bear-familiar, “Do not feed!” Either purposely or innocently!
Once our neighbors left fish in an outdoor garbage bin. The bear knocked it over, had a feast, and then wanted more. He tried banging on their house to get in and our friends had to hole up in a locked interior bathroom overnight. So no, we do not leave garbage around.
You can be sure I will not be taking long solitary walks either because where there is a cub, there is usually a mother bear who may be the over protective variety.
I am looking for a siren app on my cell phone though.
Do you think that would help?
Virginia Views 