From Small Mammals to Bears! Philadelphia has one of the
nicest dedicated spaces to housing bears. There were three of the five species
on display today: American Black, Polar, and Sloth, the Andean and Asian Sun
bears were keeping warm someplace else--and I couldn't blame them! The American
Black Bear was curled against the observation glass in an alcove to her habitat
snuggled into a mound of straw. She glanced up at me casually at one point, but
there was no good photo op with the glass so filthy. The Polar Bear was also
napping--and only a polar bear would nap in the shade on day when the air temp
is 22˚ and windchill 15˚. The Sloth Bears were a different story. They were out
and ready to romp. At one point they got into what seemed a playful wrestling match,
but it ended with the female retreating to the bottom of the waterless moat and
digging a hole while the male stood at the top of the steep incline, turned his
back to her and shat! Take that!! For her part, she turned her back to him and
curled up in her little "nest"--Harrumph! And, of course, there was
another one of those ubiquitous animals statues--a bear with four
cubs?!--UNbearable!
 |
| Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus |
 |
| Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus |
 |
| Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus |
 |
| Sloth Bear, Melursus ursinus |
 |
| Sloth Bear, Melursus ursinus |
 |
| Sloth Bear, Melursus ursinus |
 |
| Black Bear sculpture |
No comments:
Post a Comment