This morning, despite the overnight rain, was sunny and dry once more and this day we headed off to Bear Country, a wildlife park with local animals in their own environment plus a zoo for smaller animals and a nursery called Babyland for young animals. We drove through the animal areas and saw every kind of animal as advertised.
In the park we saw Elk,
Wolves
Big Horn Sheep
And of course bears, the park is called Bear Country after all. We saw black bears
This fella was pacing up and down by the entrance, obviously planning an
escape, but the cattle grid had him stymied for the present
We saw brown bears
We saw Mountain Lions
And more bears
Bears bathing
Bears socialising
And then we then arrived at the car park for the Zoo section, where we got out and strolled through the zoo enclosures.
This grumpy looking individual is a ground hog and according to legend can predict the start of spring. The grouchy expression is not permenant but one frame of a whole series of movements as it wrinkled its nose in a typical ground hog manner.
Billl Murrray does a pretty good imitation in the movie Groundhog Day.
We did not want to get too close to this fella, it takes a lot of cleaning toget rid of the smell.
These Bocats look like overgrown domestic cats but they are no pussycat.
Soon we came to the bear cubs currently the only young animals in Babyland. They were very entertaining and very cute. Like all young mammals, they were playing together and behaving perfectly for the visitors watching them.
Altogether now - ahhh, so cutre, but not something you could take home as a pet.
Mrs Wile e Cyote catching up on some sleep
Otters scampering about and entertaining the visitors and then it was time for the gift shop.
In the gift shop I bought a Bear Country souvenir baseball cap.
Just before we left, a huge Grizzly bear emerged from its cave and wandered around.its enclosure.
Then we headed back to the lodge. Leaving Rapid City, on the road to Deadwood, we saw several signs like this that made us wonder what they were hinting at. We did not try to find out I must add.
That night, we did not hear any thunder but it must have rained in the night. The next day was misty and cold first thing with low cloud.
Next post day six.
In the park we saw Elk,
And of course bears, the park is called Bear Country after all. We saw black bears
We saw brown bears
And more bears
And then we then arrived at the car park for the Zoo section, where we got out and strolled through the zoo enclosures.
Soon we came to the bear cubs currently the only young animals in Babyland. They were very entertaining and very cute. Like all young mammals, they were playing together and behaving perfectly for the visitors watching them.
In the gift shop I bought a Bear Country souvenir baseball cap.
Just before we left, a huge Grizzly bear emerged from its cave and wandered around.its enclosure.
Then we headed back to the lodge. Leaving Rapid City, on the road to Deadwood, we saw several signs like this that made us wonder what they were hinting at. We did not try to find out I must add.
That night, we did not hear any thunder but it must have rained in the night. The next day was misty and cold first thing with low cloud.
Next post day six.
Those baby bears are adorable!
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