Bear Crossing & Citizen Science

8/22/16

I dubbed him Admiral Bering (pun intended) and quite honestly I knew better when someone insisted “every naturalist should have a stuffed bear”. It’s just not me. But even this unpleasant thought of taxidermy didn’t stop my heart from persuading my head that I would rescue him from probably some smoke – filled bar or a boring life in some overly decorated “den” stacked with volumes of books – even if it did have a spinning globe that lit up. So the Admiral wrapped snuggly in a gray moving blanket set sail on his maiden voyage; disembarking from an antique dealer’s dusty display across choppy Fishers Island Sound aboard the ferry Munnatawket.

We have kept an eye on each other during long quiet winters. A perfectly gnarled piece of driftwood props the Black bear just high enough for his gaze to continue to encourage me to write.

I have felt though that there might be some other reason or purpose for us both – together. Then quite appropriately one morning it dawned on me: Educational Outreach and public awareness.

The idea and commitment of recording observations and trends of this marine environment and its unique ecosystems should not be done singlehandedly. We need each other – ok, and a bear! Much of my work on Fishers Island would not be possible without the support and efforts of the community. I am grateful to recognize that together we can bridge local traditional knowledge with Science; helping to preserve natural history while nurturing stewardship for all generations.

So this summer, keep a look out for bear crossings on a boat’s bow: and a poster that encourages ferry captains and commuters to continue to remark on unusual wildlife sightings and marine debris across our Fishers Island Sound.

And Admiral “I salute you!”