Humans are apparently not the only creatures obsessed with selfies. This cute bear right here has taken at least 400 snapshots of itself. And his photos are most definitely Instagram-worthy!
The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) in Colorado shared these "bear-y" cute photos on Twitter last Tuesday, Jan. 24. However, it must be noted that these images were taken on November 2022 but have recently gained steam after OSMP reshared them on online.
"Recently, a bear discovered a wildlife camera that we use to monitor wildlife across #Boulder open space. Of the 580 photos captured, about 400 were bear selfies," OSMP wrote in the tweet.
Recently, a bear discovered a wildlife camera that we use to monitor wildlife across #Boulder open space. Of the 580 photos captured, about 400 were bear selfies.🤣 Read more about we use wildlife cameras to observe sensitive wildlife habitats. https://t.co/1hmLB3MHlU pic.twitter.com/714BELWK6c
— Boulder OSMP (@boulderosmp) January 23, 2023
OSMP's Wildlife Cameras
The bear selfies were caught by a wildlife camera by OSMP. The organization has around nine cameras spread over a 46,000-acre land system to observe and monitor wildlife species living in the landscape around Colorado.
Numerous animal species covertly move across the landscapes of Boulder every day in search of food and resting spots. It is rare even for the OSMP staff to spot animal sightings.
However, a system of motion-detecting cameras that passively record images and videos of animals living in their natural condition enables OSMP to occasionally get a close-up view of local wildlife.
According to Will Keeley, senior wildlife biologist at Open Space and Mountain Parks, the motion-detecting cameras offer OSMP a singular opportunity to learn more about how local species use the area around them while reducing human presence in delicate habitats.
"These cameras play an important role in helping OSMP staff identify important wildlife areas. The information we collect from them is used to recommend habitat-protective measures to help protect sensitive natural areas," Keeley said in a statement.
When an animal approaches an OSMP wildlife camera, the camera immediately starts to record. After that, the cameras can record video for 10 to 30 seconds. The cameras take pictures at night using infrared light to prevent disturbing nocturnal animals.
OSMP installs its cameras in areas where animals are likely to move about, such as underpasses for roads. Additionally, the organization installs cameras in locations where there are indications of wildlife activity, such as game trails crossing fence lines and footprints in the snow.
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Intriguing Species
According to Christian Nunes, a wildlife scientist with OSMP, they occasionally place cameras in areas where they anticipate seeing intriguing species, such as American beavers or black bears.
These cameras enable the wildlife agency to understand what animals are present in Colorado and how they behave in their habitat over a day, a week, or even years.
If you find this bear story cute, NASA has also recently caught a bear-like face on Mars. The High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE, on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, snapped the bear rock formation on Dec. 12, 2022.
The five feet long camera has high-precision imaging capabilities and it is deployed on the Nadir side of the orbiter so it can keep its eye focused on the Red Planet.
HiRise is equipped with 14 detectors, each of which features a filter in the red, near-infrared, or blue-green wavelength ranges.
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