It's been busy at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center lately, and a little noisy if you want to know the truth. We have all sorts of projects going on to shape up for summer. We are replacing the chain link fence in front of the bear habitat with a much more comfortable-for-leaning-and-looking wooden model. We are improving the wolf habitats, putting the finishing touches on the outdoor amphitheater, and adding an additional den for the bears, which you'll hear more about soon.

We are also repairing or replacing things like pavement, air conditioners, and interpretive signs. We're cutting grass, dusting pollen off benches, and washing windows. We're unpacking boxes in the Gift Shop and writing curriculum for programs. Newsletters, thank you notes, outreach programs, and of course animal care and enrichment are keeping us all on our toes. We are ready for summer, and ready for you. Come see what else in new at the GWDC.

Remember if you have any questions, or just want to know more about any aspect of the Center, you can always give us a call at 406.646.7001, reply to this newsletter, or email

Judging by the carpet of dandelions in the habitats and the constant splashing of the animals, it must be summer. The bears have been swimming, the wolves have been pawing the water, and yesterday one of the bald eagles caught a fish!

Wolf Enrichment is now taking place at 3:00 and 7:00 p.m., which leaves lots of time during the day to view the wolves napping and interacting in their habitats. They've been howling most days in the early afternoons.
Both the wolves and the bears (and the staff!) have begun receiving enrichment items from the Summer Wish List! Big thanks go out to friends of the Center who have sent sugar cane, vitamins, and a fantastic box of goodies for humans! Your generosity is staggering.

 

The image above and the following description are from the article, which you can read here. "This whimsical poster was created in 1946 by Walter Oehrle, a commercial artist for the Union Pacific Railroad, to promote West Yellowstone as the best entry point for visiting Yellowstone National Park." The poster is from the collection of Alfred Runte, an expert on both national parks and railroads.

We've come a long way since the days of cartoon bears playing golf on the outskirts of West Yellowstone. The education staff engages in meaningful discussions and programs daily to change the way visitors and locals view bears, interact with wildlife, and perceive predators in and around Yellowstone National Park.

If you're interested in visiting the GWDC with your family or with your students, or if you'd like to sponsor a Teaching Trunk or outreach program, let us know. One of the Center's naturalists can visit your school for special assemblies, programs or activities. As you know, some of our birds-of-prey can travel for such programs as can our large collection of wolf and bear artifacts. We will customize the program or the Teaching Trunk for your group and areas of special interest.