Hibernation Day

Saturday was Hibernation Day at The Alaska zoo - a day to celebrate our bear's hibernation, to learn all about them, and to play games.

We had tables set up throughout the zoo, with different games at each one. Table #1, set up near the black bear exhibit, had paper & crayons where you could learn to draw a bear. Table #2, set up near the empty bee exhibit, had a game where you match different characteristics to the bear they belong to. Table #3 had mazes for the kids to work on.

I was assigned to Table #2 for the second half of the day. I arrived early (as is my usual practice) so wandered around the zoo for a while first. When it was my turn to go to work I relieved the person manning the table for the first half of the day, and settled in to play some games.

I had a lot of fun: kids stopped by pretty much non-stop for two hours. I would read the cards to the younger ones but let the older ones do it on their own. Most of the cards were easy ones, like "This bear is a good climber." or "This bear has the longest claws." but some of them were harder or had multiple answers depending on your point of view, like "This bear is the most dangerous." or "This bear has the longest neck."

Once the kids played the games at each of the tables, and got the appropriate stamp on their game cards from each one, they got to have a special behind-the-scenes tour of the polar bear! I know, I know - polar bears don't hibernate. But, they are bears - and pretty spectacular ones, to boot! I don't think anybody complained.

The bee exhibit was empty this year. Not only is there a world-wide crisis going on with bees but our volunteer bee-keeper was not feeling well this year and needed to take some time off to rest up a bit. So - we're hoping next year to have an active hive again. They are definitely fascinating creatures, and the kids love to peek in the window and watch them work in their hive.

The camel exhibit is right next door to the bee exhibit, so I got to spend some time with Tula and Knobby. Having read Dr. Reading's book on camel research out in Mongolia has given me new insights into this wonderful breed of animal.They are such beautiful animals (beauty is a relative term, indeed.)

Tula, our elderly camel, has a bad case of arthritis so has to be exercised each day. She gets her halter on and her handler takes her for a walk-about around the zoo. It takes two people to walk her – one in front on the leash, and one on the back with a pooper-scooper (just in case). I’m thinking that since I have all this free time on my hands anyway – I should volunteer to be the back end person!

Now, there’s a skill I could put on my resume! I’m sure it would garner me an interesting job, to say the least.