Nationally Recognized Wildlife Biologist to Present Talk on Black Bears Presented by the Nature Museum at Grafton

Correction: The original post said that this event will be on Saturday, October 26. The correct date is Wednesday, October 26.

The Nature Museum at Grafton will present a talk by wildlife biologist Ben Kilham, PhD on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the NewsBank Conference Center, 352 Main Street, Chester, VT. Highlighted by amazing images, the presentation will focus on how the social behavior of black bears resembles that of humans.

Years of observing black bears and rehabilitating orphan bears informs Kilham's expertise. Devoted to black bears, he has studied their habits and forged relationships with them for over two decades. In the process he has gathered research that has provided new insight into bears' social lives and intelligence.

Thought to be solitary, black bears exhibit a social behavior that may parallel early human behavior. They show evidence of reciprocal altruism, matrilineal hierarchy, and a mix of intentional and emotional communication.

Kilham, his wife Debra and sister Phoebe have rehabilitated some 90 to 100 cubs over the course of his career. They've cared for them and fed them until they're 18 months old - even bringing them into their home - and then helped them to successfully return to the wild.

Kilham has been the focus of several news articles and documentaries, including National Geographic's A Man Among Bears and Animal Planet's Papa Bear. He is also author of the books "Among the Bears: Raising Orphaned Cubs in the Wild" and "Out on a Limb: Origins of Intuition and Intelligence". He is licensed as a bear rehabilitator by the State of New Hampshire.

The Nature Museum encourages participation in this program to learn more about an animal that many Vermonters have had the pleasure of spotting here in the mountains (or our backyards). Tickets are $7 and can be purchased on line at the Nature Museum's website (http://www.nature-museum.org/upcoming-events/2016/10/26/the-social-black-bear). Tickets are also available at the door for $10.

Located at 186 Townshend Road in Grafton, Vermont, The Nature Museum is a non-profit museum that offers hands-on natural history exhibits, nature programs for adults and children, plus an annual Fairy House Festival. More information can be found on The Nature Museum Facebook page (www.facebook.com/naturemuseumatgrafton) and on their website (www.nature-museum.org).