Tag Archive: Wildsood Zoo Marshfield


It’s a rainy and at the very least a drizzly kind of day and it’s my birthday.   I was determined to get a few photographs of Munsey and Boda today.  So with an umbrella in hand I went to Wildwood Zoo hoping to get a few interesting photographs of the boys and they did not disappoint!

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Boda was up the tree when I arrived and I’m still amazed that the branch he’s standing on, held up under the weight of almost 600 lbs.!

So when Boda is descending from the tree he reminds me of Whinny The Pooh , stuck   in the doorway of the his den.  It appears that descending requires far more  thought, time and talent  than climbing up the tree!  Boda should know that he’s too big for tree climbing!  Maybe I should get him some rock climbing gear!

While Boda was trimming the limbs off the tree, Munsey was gathering and moving the fallen tree limbs that would become the bears late morning snack.

I’m really looking forward to working on the next Munsey and Boda book that has these tree climbing adventures and new information of the cubs growth and activities!

 

 

I spent four hours photographing Munsey and Boda on April 17th.  Munsey’s weight is about 575 pounds and Boda’s weight is about 594 pounds.  On April 17th, 2016 the cubs weights was 230 pounds and in October of 2015 the cubs weights was 120-130 pounds.

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Munsey has been  initiating  the wrestling matches over the Winter months , while Boda was moving a bit slower because of the Winter weather.  Munsey favorite way to bother Boda is to pull Boda’s ear.  Now that spring has arrived Munsey and Boda are as active as ever and during their active periods they will usually wrestle with each other about four times during a 60 minute period of time.  One of the best times of day to see these guys in action in the Bear Woods is usually around 9:00 am – 11:00 am.

DSC_0073 You can find them playing tag, having water fights in the Bear Pond and bathing.

Munsey’s favorite water activity is finding a nice size rock and placing it on his nose or forehead and launching it into the air.

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The bears should of stopped climbing tree’s about 12 months ago but on March 17th, 2017,  I watched Boda climbing back up one of his favorite trees in the Bear Woods.

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There’s something just not right about a 600 pound bear climbing up a tree!  I guess the bears were curious about the sounds of a chain saw that was cutting down one of the large tree’s at Wildwood Zoo that day.  Of-course the bears love the taste of those tender new leaves on the tree but it takes a lot of energy for Munsey and Boda to get their muscular bodies up into the tree’s as well as getting themselves back down to the ground.

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You can see the difference in the growth of the cubs since they arrived in October 2015.

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On March 17th, 2017, I photographed Munsey climbing this tree trunk and standing on top of the trunk.  The Kodiak cubs never cease to amaze me!

It’s not easy taking photographs of the Kodiak cubs during the cold winter months.  During the coldest of days, I’ll only spend 15 minutes taking photographs. My  hands begin to freeze and even the camera isn’t too happy being subjected the cold temperatures.  Regardless of the weather and cold temperature, I’m drawn to stop in and visit Munsey and Boda because of their playful and childlike curiosity and behavior.  So here are a few photographs of the Kodiak cubs enjoying the winter snow.aaadsc_4915-1-9-2017

This photograph of Munsey  was taken on January 9th, 2017.  He was playing with a stick he found in the Bear Woods.

The photograph on the left was taken 1/9/2017 and the photograph on the right was taken 1/29 2016.  On 1/29/2016 the cubs weight was around 200 pounds. On 1/9/2017  Munsey’s weight is around 505 lbs. and Boda weight is 545 lbs.

 

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Here are a list of new video’s to view on Munsey and Boda!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdg6vB0KO9c

During the Winter months Munsey and Boda seem to be more interactive more frequently , then they are during the Summer months.  I’m sure with that Winter coat of fur, they are very comfortable in the winter season.

Notice the difference in the weight and growth of the Kodiak cubs since Feb. 15th, 2016 to Dec. 4th, 2016.  The Munsey’s  weight was 185 lbs. and Boda’s weight was 192 lbs. in Feb. 2016 . On Dec. 4th, Munsey weighs 460 lbs. and Boda weighs 495 lbs.

This video was taken on December 4th 2016.  Munsey weighs 460 lbs. and Boda weighs 495 lbs.

The boys really seemed to enjoy braking off chunks of icicles and munching on them, while they wait for their lunch to arrive.

On December 4th, 2016  Munsey and Boda enjoy exploring the new fallen snow!  Munsey enjoys rolling around in the white stuff and Boda enjoys running around the Bear Woods hoping for a wrestling match with Munsey.

Munsey  now weighs 460 lbs. and Boda weighs 490 bls. and with the extra winder coat of fur the bears look  more massive at 22 months of age.

Every day about noon the cubs move to the JP Adler Kodiak Bear Habitat area to wait for lunch.  The bears usually come up to the observation window to get a better view of the zoo staff as they leave their office to begin feeding the animals.  It appears that Munsey and Boda can smell their lunch as it’s being prepared by the staff!

I happened to have a cup of coffee on hand and even the coffee was of interest to Munsey that afternoon. adsc_3582-2016-12-4

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The observations window offers a unique opportunity for zoo guests to observe the Kodiak cubs. Munsey and Boda  especially enjoy interacting with the youngest guests visiting  Wildwood Zoo!   This photo and video above was taken in early October of 2016.

 

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Most weekday mornings fruits and veggies are hidden around the JP Adler Kodiak Bear Exhibit and other sections of the Kodiak Habitat area as an enrichment activity for the cubs. DSC_3298

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Here are a few more photographs and video’s of Munsey and Boda enjoying their new toy (the fire hose). Sadly, I don’t have a video or photographs of Steve Burns (head zookeeper) retrieving the fire hose from the bottom of the pool.

Here’s a peek at the boys after they were first rescued and being nursed back to health at the Anchorage Zoo in Alaska.

Munsey. Boda and Dodge at the Anchorage Zoo.