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This is a live den cam. You're actually watching a bear named Rascal as he sleeps in his den in real time. Be patient... the page may take a moment to load. If you are having trouble, you might need to enable or download Java.
Rascal is a young cinnamon coloured black bear that was first found orphaned by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) in 2006. Wildlife officials are unsure as to what happened to his mother - she might have been killed in a vehicle accident or shot by a hunter. Rascal was taken to a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Helena, where he spent his first winter, got fattened up and was released in the spring of 2007.
Later that year, in December, calls starting coming in to FWP about a young bear that hadn't yet denned. Officials investigated and sure enough it was Rascal. He was captured again weighing only about 75 lbs. This time Rascal was placed into an artificial den site in the Swan Valley of north western Montana. He seems to be quite content in his new home.
Rascal quickly settled in for his long winter sleep after having a little peek around. He will likely lose about 30% of his body weight during denning, since he will not be eating or drinking while hibernating. Rascal just turned two in January, 2008.
During the denning period, a bear's heart rate and other body functions slow down to conserve energy when food is scarce in the winter. Learn more about hibernation.
Watch Rascal carefully and you can see him take a breath. He only breathes about once every 45 seconds though. You'll notice that Rascal does move around in his den, as all bears do.
The project was financed privately by the landowner, who has several other cams on his property, so that he can enjoy the critters on his ranch while back East.
Ryan Alter, of Alter Enterprises, constructed the artificial den and equipped it with the den cam. It is made of wood planks and insulated with wood chips, a bed of straw, plastic tarps and pine boughs. It has one exterior camera and three interior cameras allowing us all to have a peek inside a bear's den.
The den is actually slightly smaller than 4 foot square, but looks bigger due to the fish eye lenses on the camera. One end of the structure is open, but covered by pine boughs and a tarp. Rascal can leave through this end anytime he pleases.
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