It’s been a bit crazy here at BDN Outdoors lately. How crazy? Try this: For the first time in my 21 years here, I can say that we’ve written about lions, tigers and bears in the same week. Can I get an “Oh my”? I knew I could. And as you might expect, all three critter tales were extremely popular among readers. First, the lions: There’s a mountain lion prowling around in Harmony. At least, that’s what it said on Facebook … so it has to be true, right? Not really. The photo was actually taken in Calgary, Alberta, and I got to debunk the myth. Next, tigers: Aislinn Sarnacki introduced readers to three cubs that were born in a mid-Maine sanctuary. And finally, bears: The Maine bruin that I met four years ago (and had named after me), made an encore appearance at a trap Down East. I’m happy to report that “Big John” is now “Bigger John,” and he’s doing well. Take a peek at those stories, and our other outdoor tales.
— John Holyoke
Mountain lion caught on trail camera in Harmony? Not quite
Mention “mountain lion” in Maine, and you’ll hear all kinds of tales from locals who swear they walk among us. Unfortunately, it’s easy to stir up the Facebook rumor mill … and that’s what happened last week.
Tiger cubs born in Mount Vernon animal sanctuary
Three tiger cubs were born in Maine on June 8, at DEW Animal Kingdom and Sanctuary in Mount Vernon, and it was fairly unexpected.
Bob and Julie Miner, owners of DEW, were sitting on their porch when they heard some strange noises coming from one of their tiger enclosures. And when they went to investigate, they discovered three newborn tiger cubs.
Biologists re-capture black bear featured in 2010 BDN story
Meet “Big John.” He’s a bear. He weighs 432 pounds. And you might have read about him in our pages before.
Blog log
Act Out with Aislinn: 1-minute hike: Thomaston Town Forest Trail
Planning a trip to the midcoast region of Maine? Aislinn’s got a hiking suggestion for you!
“In 2007, I created a paper titled, ‘A Solution to Conflicts and Competition for Recreational Access and Use of Private and Public Lands.’ It got a bit of press, but little attention otherwise.
“In the opening paragraph, I reported, ‘We must understand what motivates each of us and drives the conflicts we’re suffering over our outdoor recreational pursuits, if we are going to figure out how to resolve those conflicts.’ I still think this is critically important. And we are a long way from achieving it.”
On the horizon
Aislinn will take you along with scientists as they float down the Penobscot River, mapping the riverbed to study how the waterway has changed since recent dam removals. She’ll have a great story and video to share.
To receive Word from the Woods, BDN Outdoors’ weekly email newsletter, visit bangordailynews.com/newsletters and select “Outdoors Newsletter.”
