Today we start with a photo of Noli (Cub #207) looking out of the acclimation pen into the Wild Enclosure.  We can imagine that she is eager to get outside.  The curators are waiting to see if she will climb.  Cubs have to be able to climb – their lives literally depend on it.

Noli can see the outdoors, and she knows the other cubs are out there.

The curators decided to test her by making her climb to find the grapes that she loves to eat.

Grapes are placed up high on the platform. She has to climb up to get them.

Meanwhile, the other cubs spend most of their time in trees in the Wild Enclosure.  Climbing is a built in skill that cubs have.

One of the other cubs in a tree.

Cubs climb up the trees to rest or to play.

Often they are in the same tree.

In the other Wild Enclosure, Woody is glimpsed on occasion, as in this photo.

Woody Bear sniffing. What does he smell?

Next time we’ll see the results of Noli’s “test.”  We hope she passes!