I’ve been seeing a Mama bear with three very small cubs around my forested yard, but haven’t yet been able to get any photos, so I’m republishing a post I wrote a few years ago, when I first discovered bears using my “water holes.” I’m hoping to get some new footage to share soon, but until then, I hope you enjoy this sweet clips of bears cooling off!
Every living thing on this Earth needs four things to survive: food, water, shelter and space. Obviously depending on the animal, the requirement varies; an ant needs a whole lot less space than a black bear. We can help some animals with the food requirement–think birds, bees, butterflies, moths, toads, etc. With our larger wildlife like raccoons, bears, and coyotes, providing food is a bad idea for many reasons. Putting out water though is another story because in nature, water can be found naturally. In summer, especially during a heat wave, like the one we’re experiencing right now, water is often hard to come by. With changes to the way we manage our yards, we can help provide safe habitat, and even shelter for some animals. (Think wood piles, brush piles, leaving dead trees standing, leaf litter, hollow stems for bees, seed heads on flowers, etc)
Check out the bears in their new “pond!”
And here’s some footage of the bears cooling off in the pond!
You may not own a giant piece of property in the middle of the woods, but you CAN still put out water for your outdoor neighbors. Think about putting out some tubs, or bird baths or even creating a fountain where the animals can go for a reliable water source.
I once saw a black bear get a drink from my bird bath! Your offering for water could be as simple as a dog bowl filled with cool water, or even a plastic tub from your spinach or lettuce. Put whatever vessel of water you’re offering in a place where the animals will feel safe– not in the open with no vegetation nearby.
And because mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water, you do need to either regularly change out the water in these places, or add mosquito dunks so mosquitoes will be stopped in their tracks. These dunks will not hurt the bears, raccoons, opossums and other vertebrates that visit your new pond, but they will kill mosquitoes.
Here’s one more mix of bears in the forest. I hope you enjoy it! And also, that you make time to get outside soon and experience something firsthand– you never know what you’ll see if you make time to LOOK.
Good luck! I hope you see something exciting!