Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-04-02
NO 7S.
A Cub at the Zoo.
THE FIRsr BABY GRIZZLY EVER RAISED IN
CAPTIVITY.

THE FiRsr BABY GRIZZLY EVER RAISED IN
CAPTIVITY.
Half dozen or more fortunate people wit
messed 1.-THE first appearance in public Of
the first grizzly cub ever raised in captivity.
Numerous cubs have been born to these mop-
ster grizzlies of the Zoo. SAYS the Cincinnati
Commercial, in the past few years, but this is
the first one TO get fair start in life. The
ryors of winter, or the indifference or savage
appetites of the old ones, have been fatal to
| all the predecessors of this little fellow. As
we approached the bear pit from the west we
met the keeper running, in great haste, in the
direction of the carnivora. and we said THAT
! means that something has happened to the
cub and word is going to Thompson" and we
hurried to the pit of the grizzly bears, on the
ground floor. and found a keeper and little
knot of people closely watching the stirring
of some straw Just within the interior pit and
listening intently. The great Bantling griz.
lilies were in the outer pit. The male was
sauntering around in his accustomed circum-
avigstion of the pool He was rs big as =
buffalo in his perfect flesh and magnificent
suit of long, grizzled fur, of kind Of light
snuff shade; and his long, sharp claws clat.
tered on the rocky floor as he paced HE
rounds. We thought of sierras and great
canons, and of the crashing down Of under
brush, as we looked at this monster king
of the Rockies. Another look around and
what a contrast was revealed. The female
sat near the front grating. an abject picture
of attenuation, listlessness, utter indifference
to all the world apparently. We say apparent
y, mind. She whom thousands have looked
upon as a grand looking mate to her grand
looking spouse looked dwarfed, haggard,
dragged out now. This certainly was not
the sleek, fat, well conditioned Lizzie" we
x,ll Sh..a al Loo bal
or three feet shorter. This could be account
ed Tor by two months or more of sitting on
her launches nursing her offspring. Her
coat was thnned out and shabby indeed, and
her face had a worn and bleached out express
SION ard when she deigned to look at anyone
il was with a weary look that seemed to say:
.'Ah Won don't know what I've been through:
YOU don't know what il is to bear cub and
nurse it TO the weaning-ah, me"
Presently little sharp cries were heard, and
the straws were gently agitatcd, those just
within the door of the dark den, and the peo-
pie strained their eyes, and then their eager
listening was rewarded by the short, sharp
snarling of the cub. Sure enough it WAS
coming to the front The mother heard the
velps and instantly her eyes flashed and her
sauut form shook as she got upon her fours
and tSotted to the door. She knew that her
little one was coming out. and she wanted to
see that it didn't come too far. She returned
to the front grating and looked dreamily at
us, The big male bear just then assumed
the airs and manners of a self sufficient fa-
ther who would announce himself as u hap
py sire-thanks TO DR. So-and So; and see
ng what the dam had done, went and did
likewise. He looked in and then came out
to the grating and with his back to it, raised
his enormous form high upon his hind feet
until his head was eight or ten feet in the air,
and then deliberately scratched his back
against the grating and seemed very much
pleased with himself There was greater
agitation of the straw, and more sharp yelps,
and Immediately the wonder came TO view,
crawling on its belly like puppy trying to
walk-a good sized one, OF a light tawny
shade, with very short feet. Its legs
seemed long, and clumsy and weak.
1t had dragged itself distance of 10 feet
from its nest and here it was facing the day
light and many curious eyes. Its dam saw
It and trotted over to it. Its feet were al
ready hanging over the little ledge of the
threshold and only few feet beyond was the
pool of water-deep and dangerous for that
little one. Superintendent Thompson saw
this. So did ali the people. So, bless you,
lid the mother. No nonsense Of that kind
for her. She stepped carefully over the cub
to reach the interior. Then she sat on her
launches, and after licking it and caressing
1t in n loving, mothery wav, with her nose
and fore paws gathered it tenderly, close
under her enormous self and holding it thus
drew herself back out of view--to the great
delight and astonishment Of those who had
expected to see her with her teeth pick 1t up
by the nape of the back, as would dog or n
cat with its young After few moments the
dam reappeared and without paying any
attention TO her human audience, slowly
| sauntered as though somewhat exhausted,
down to the grating, and in languid. con-
valescent manner seated herself upon her
| haunches there, facing the grating and throw
ing her arms wide open and disposing her.
self in a completely resttul way.
By direction of the Superintendent, the
keepers now proceeded to throw some planks
down into the pool, as there was danger that
the ambition OF the little might bring
about disastrous results. In case it should
drag itself out to the pool and fall in, it
could cling to these planks. The heavy
splashng of the timber in the water pro-
| duced a sensation; the mother gave a fierce,
/ startled look at the men and the planks, and
| then made a swift break for the interior and
the cub The male followed her closely and
| with puzzled expression. When this com
| motion over, the big bears returned and
proceeded deliberately to fish all the timbers
ont of the water. They did this with great
| caution and method, and much apparent
| satisfaction; and at this point we left the
Bantlin grizzlies to the full enjoyment Of
| their parental responsibilities.