Bears I

God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. Acts 17:24-25

An interesting perk as a biologist is sometimes getting to help people with projects different from your own. One of my favorite times has been working with folks from different agencies to live-trap black bears. Whenever I got to participate in this venture, the days always flew by far too fast for my liking.

Over the years when working with animals of any sort, I like to observe others to see what their attitude is toward the critters we’re dealing with. I’ve been blessed during my career to meet some very dedicated people who have a high regard for the resource. The folks I worked with when trapping these bears were no exception, and I am truly grateful to have been a small part of these projects.

This study sought to help determine the overall health and population size of the bears. After trapping and darting a bear with an anesthetic, we took fur and blood samples, and examined teeth to determine the amount of wear. We measured the size of the bear’s head, along with the body length from nose to tail. We put the bear in a sling and hoisted it up on a scale to record the bear’s weight. In the mountains where I live, adult male black bears weigh about 220 pounds while adult females weigh roughly 130 pounds.

We also marked the bear with a numbered ear-tag, similar to one used by ranchers for livestock. Information from this mark-recapture method of research allows for population estimates of the region. The hair and blood samples are used for DNA testing to help identify individual bears, and for disease analysis. The home-range of these bears is approximately twelve square miles for females and about double that for the males. In a population where there is no hunting, black bears can live into their 20s or more.

After taking all our measurements, we packed up our gear to head off to the next trapping site. Before we left, we waited for the bear to show signs of coming out of the anesthesia. As I knelt beside him, I laid my hand on the bear one last time and wondered if he’d be able to tell his comrades about his remarkable day. I felt his sides gently rise and fall as he snoozed, barely audible wisps of breath moving specks of dirt an inch from his snoot.

Breath.

The breath of life. As the above Scripture states, it is God Who gives it to us all. If you are not sure how to have a real relationship with the Creator and life-giver of the universe, please see Got God?

Hope you get to see some fascinating animals soon.

Have a great day.