For the 22nd year in a row, two Grizzly bears living at a popular B.C. resort have reemerged from hibernation.
Grouse Mountain’s “most popular residents,” Grinder and Coola, woke up from their 163-day nap on Wednesday, the resort revealed on social media.
Devin Manky, Grouse Mountain’s wildlife manager, says the bears have been doing a lot of rolling around, some digging and tobogganing in the snow since emerging.
“They just love it, they’re very playful,” Manky said in a video posted to Instagram Wednesday.
The bears are both nearly 200 pounds lighter than they were before hibernation, according to Grouse Mountain.
Grinder is down to 718 pounds after going into winter at 920 pounds, while Coola is now a scant 827 pounds compared to his starting weight of 1,045 pounds.
“To help lubricate their digestive system, Grinder and Coola will eat mostly iceberg lettuce before the Grouse Mountain Wildlife Refuge Team introduces other vegetables back into their diets,” reads the post.
The bears have lived on Grouse Mountain since 2001 when they were rescued from Bella Coola and Invermere, respectively.
The resort is welcoming people to visit the bears at the Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife. Those who are unable to visit in person can keep up with the bears through the “Bear Habitat Cam” on the mountain’s website.
