Black Bear cubs – Yellowstone          click to enlarge

Regardless of whether you agree or not it is now officially Spring. In fact we’re four days into it. That means spring babies. Black bears, grizzly bears, foxes, elk, wolves. Bighorn sheep, the list goes on.

Some of the newest youngsters take a more elitist view of their arrival like these two black bear cubs, although twins they are not identical. We shall call them Solenoid and Nodule. These may not be traditional bear names like, Fang and Claw and Leroy, but then we live in different times and the naming nomenclature has changed somewhat from what you may be used to. They are some of the first among equals as far as their stature in the park is determined.

Being one of the big three predators in Yellowstone brings some pretty cool perks and these two are already discovering one of the biggest, which is all the attention they’ll get from now on. As superstars on the list of what the tourist come to see they are some of the privileged few and they take full advantage of it. Having just finished a prolonged session of goofing off in the cutest way they can come up with, they’re not above a bit of self-congratulation.

Mom, whom you’ve met before and know as Rosie the Queen of Mt. Washburn, is just out of sight behind a large tree and is keeping a watchful eye on the two. When they get completely out of hand she’ll appear, give one disgusted grunt and they’ll be up a tree so fast it’ll make their heads swim. Cubs, no matter  how cute, do not disobey Rosie.

Right now however, they got it made and they know it. They’re still little enough that school hasn’t started yet. Once that starts much of the goofiness will be toned down because it’s serious business being a bear, and there are lots of tough lessons ahead. Right now though they get to say “Hey Are we Cool or what”. And they are.