{"id":11356,"date":"2018-05-24T13:00:23","date_gmt":"2018-05-24T18:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/traun-photo.com\/dan\/?p=11356"},"modified":"2018-05-24T15:19:57","modified_gmt":"2018-05-24T20:19:57","slug":"north-american-bear-center-ely-mn-exploremn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/traun-photo.com\/dan\/north-american-bear-center-ely-mn-exploremn\/","title":{"rendered":"NORTH AMERICAN BEAR CENTER – Ely, MN #exploremn"},"content":{"rendered":"

NORTH AMERICAN BEAR CENTER<\/h1>\n

The North American Bear Center is a nonprofit museum with indoor and outdoor viewing of live black bears in natural habit with a pond and waterfall. The 2.5-acre enclosure is home to four resident bears – Ted, Tasha and Lucky, and Holly. The educational mission of the NABC is to replace myths about bears with reality; with over 50 video exhibits of wild Minnesota bears, a wide variety of daily programs, and a hands-on children\u2019s area,\u00a0people of all ages learn bear behavior from the bears themselves. It is recommended to allow at least a two-hour visit for this unique, world-class experience that the whole family will enjoy! ~Explore Minnesota<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you are ever near Ely, MN you will want to stop by the North American Bear Center.\u00a0 I happened to be in the Ely area this last weekend visiting the International Wolf Center<\/a> on the opposite end of town.<\/p>\n

I was traveling with two other photographers; we were fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time.\u00a0 We had finished viewing the expansive exhibit and went out on the observation deck.\u00a0 No bears were out in the main enclosure at the time.\u00a0 We did notice four bear center staff off in the distance with a photographer.\u00a0 As luck would have it, we were waved over for a more up close and personal view.\u00a0 This was certainly a better perspective to capture the bears.\u00a0 There was a local professional photographer there shooting to provide updated photos of the bears at the center.\u00a0 We were allowed to shoot through the fence from that location.\u00a0 It was magnificent to see Lucky and Holly sparing, rolling around in the grass and just simply being bears.<\/p>\n

Our view prior to being waved over<\/h3>\n

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Our view after being waved over<\/h3>\n
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View from observation deck during a scheduled feeding<\/h3>\n
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Bear-sized Cong filled with grapes <\/div> <\/div>
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Eating apricots <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
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At the feeding platform <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
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Making short work of the snak <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
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Lucky all done snacking <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Check out the North American Bear Center website | <\/a>fb page<\/a><\/p>\n

EXTRA<\/h2>\n