First Arrival of the Year!

First thing is first...pictures of our newest edition to the center....

not the best picture but it is a start....

On the drive around there was an eagle that was really close to the road...

Next, we needed to do LOTS of cleaning since we have been in anchorage sooooo much lately.  We also needed to do the cleaning before all of the visitors started arriving.  So we began with the chicken coop, then moved onto the deer enclosure.  We finished by cleaning up snickers' area.  He was so excited that I needed to give him a treat to calm him down.

I guess he likes Cantalope...

 On the way back from visiting Mukluk I ran into a family that was asking me questions about Jack our Moose.  They asked if I could get him to come closer to the fence.  I said that he is only motivated by bananas....which they so happened to have on hand.  I fed Jack the banana and he was very happy.

Later, we went to hang out by the big bears because there were a lot of visitors down there.  When it gets really busy we make sure that there is someone staying around the big bear enclosure.  The bears were very active today and all three of them were very photogenic today.

  The one on the log is named Joe Boxer.  His sister is on his right, Patron.  Hugo, the grizzly bear, is the closest in the picture.  Hugo is 11 years old and arrived at the center as a cub covered in porcupine quills.  The 2 siblings were brought to us after their mother was shot in protection of property.  Ok quiz time...

1.  Are brown bears and grizzly bears the same thing?
Answer: Yes, they are both the same species.  However, the location is what distinguishes a coastal brown bear from a grizzly bear.  Coastal brown bears tend to be larger since they have the salmon and other fish to provide nutrients for them.  Where as the Grizzly bear comes from the inner parts of alaska where they have to chase a tiny rodent around for barely any nutrition. 

Later, I was talking to a visitor that just reminded me of someone.  I just couldn't put my finger on it.....
hmmmmmm...
still thinking...

DING! (Light bulb turning on)

SANTA CLAUS!

He was wearing a red t-shirt and jeans, with a cowboy hat.  Ok not the typical santa suit.  But come on, Santa is still on vacation right?  Anyways, I was talking to him and he seemed to know a lot about reindeer.  He then sid that he needed to know about them for his job.  I asked him if he was a professional santa and what do ya know....He was!  He really was santa claus!!! He said that he needed to know a lot about reindeer since kids are always asking him questions. 

FACT:  Caribou are the same thing as reindeer.  Reindeer are simply the domesticated version of Caribou. 

FACT: Caribou are the only member of the deer family where both male and female have antlers. 
Well it was time to head back to the bunk house.

After a long day of work we headed into Anchorage to buy groceries and Harry Potter Part 1!

On the way back we just had to stop and take a picture of the beautiful sunset...

  Then, about 30 minutes later we took another picture of the gorgeous moon that was off of Turnagin Arm.

  Goddnight Lower 48,
ErIn