MPR News meteorologist Mandy Thalhuber went on a dog sled tour with Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge in Ely, Minnesota. The tour is powered by a team of eager Canadian Inuit dogs and is part of Minnesota Zoo’s Travel EdVenture series. The series offers experiences that connect people with animals, ecosystems and conservation efforts across the country and around the world. The dog sled tour is part of the three-day wild wolf program that takes place in early February. Story and video by Mandy Thalhuber

Ely, Minnesota, experienced a snowy winter that left a heavy snowpack and ice in the exhibit enclosure. As spring approached, the melting snow began to create vernal pools—temporary bodies of water that form in mid to late spring as the temperatures rise and the ground begins to thaw. These vernal pools vary in size and create a wetland habitat rich in biodiversity, supporting a variety of animals including invertebrates, amphibians, and numerous plant species. When the weather warms up during t

Interested in joining our internship team in 2026? Check out a typical day in the life of a bear educator intern! 🐻 Apply on our website HERE --> https://bear.org/education/internship-program/ or email Macy (macy@bear.org) for more information! 📸NABC TikTok by staff member Macy . . . #bear #NABC #nonprofit #blackbear #ursus #bears #ursusamericanus #blackbears #upnorth #NorthAmericanBearCenter #upnorthmn #intern #interns #student #students #ecology #zoology #MN #minnesota #upnorthmn #ely #elymn