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Flying fish usher in Bear Affair and Bear Awareness Week

Posted by: Rebecca Whitham, Editor



Things got very Seattle at Woodland Park Zoo when the world-famous fishmongers from Pike Place Fish Market helped us kick off Bear Awareness week and the big event, Bear Affair: Living Northwest Conservation Day presented Brown Bear Car Wash coming up Sat., Jun. 4.

Photo: John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo.

Grizzly brothers Keema and Denali could smell the salmon long before the fishmongers sent the fish flying over to them, shouting "TT for the bears" as in "test toss" in fishmonger-speak.

Photo: John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo.

In true Keema and Denali style, the bears let gravity do the work for them and then dined contentedly.

Photo: John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo.

Don't let the beautiful exhibit design fool you—the fishmongers were a safe distance from the bears with layers of containment between them, all under the watchful eyes of our animal care crew. That's why it takes a professional to throw the fish that far!

Photo: John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo.

Some brave zoo guests stepped up to the challenge to catch their own TT and what can we say, Seattleites are naturals.

Photo: John Loughlin/Woodland Park Zoo.

Seattleites are also outdoor lovers, like all Washingtonians, and that means encounters with wildlife are not unusual to us. Bear Affair is all about picking up tips for safely coexisting with wildlife when hiking, camping or even backyard partying.

Photo: Mat Hayward/Woodland Park Zoo.

At the upcoming event, Keema and Denali will ransack mock campsite and party set ups in their home to show you just what happens when you don't properly clean up or store your goods. They'll also put bear-proof containers to the test, all while you learn more about native wildlife, from carnivores to pollinators, and how to protect and enjoy our beautiful Northwest.

We all come to Bear Affair with different levels of knowledge and experience when it comes to bears in the Northwest. Test your bear IQ with our Griz Quiz to see where you stand:



Bear Affair kicks off Bear Awareness week, dedicated to all things bears in the Northwest. Ready to do more?

TAKE ACTION 

Several federal agencies are evaluating the environmental impacts of restoring a healthy grizzly bear population to Washington state's North Cascades. The best science shows that wherever grizzlies thrive, so does the surrounding ecosystem and native wildlife living in it.

Woodland Park Zoo supports grizzly bear recovery to the North Cascades, and invites you to add your name to the growing list of supporters to start the groundswell for grizzlies.


Comments

Mattie Keyes said…
Goodness me, this is treat to watch and pictures are wonderful. That's why i love nature.