23th December 2011: Christmas newsletter
All the hibernating animals are well and truly tucked up in bed now. Our collared bears settled at very different times.
Galina, the female, is in all probability pregnant again this view is strengthened by the fact that she went to her den
area relatively early on the 27th October. She has obviously tucked herself into a crevice or cave as we have been
receiving extremely few signals from her even though there is good GSM coverage. Her den is at about 1700m above sea
level on the southern face slopes of the High Tatras although she is probably on a western facing spur. She is not too
far from two tourist trails and a mountain cottage however the steep nature of the terrain and the dwarf pine make it
virtually impossible for people to disturb her.
Viktor, probably due to him being an experienced male stayed awake for much longer. He entered his denning area on the
28th November. Viktor has settled close to where he ended up last year however this year he is on the other side
of the ridge, the western side with a south west orientation. He spent a week very close to this spot last year after
emerging from his den.His den is slightly lower at 1500m however the area that he is is traditionally receives a more
even and sustained snow covering.
The spring will be exciting, especially the initial movements of Galina. If she is pregnant she will have young cubs
and will need to get some calories as quickly as possible. Being so near to settlements and the associated bins full
of rich food sources will she head straight to the villages? We shall have to wait and see.
The beavers have also dug in for the winter. These hardy rodents do not hibernate but stay in their fortified and moat
surrounded lodges eating stockpiled bark and grasses. The frozen caps of these lodges provide good protection against
inquisitive wolves. If they need to replenish their stocks they will venture out, often swimming under the ice
for several metres until they find a place to exit the water. The lodges are often seen in deep winter steaming
from the heat that the families of beavers give off.
As 2011 comes to a close we wish the beavers, bears and all other wildlife a bullet-free festive season and we also wish
a very Happy Christmas and New Year to all supporters and followers of Projekt Medved' and Stunning Slovakia.
