Grizzly Bear and Wildlife Tour Blog

We offer an exceptional fly-in lodge for Grizzly Bear Watching and Whale Watching in British Columbia.

Learn about What’s happening at the Lodge, view our British Columbia’s Wildlife Report, read our Grizzly Bear Watching Blog and Whale Watching Blog. Learn more about a Day on the River Blog, see Our Tour Guide’s Photos & Blog and  Photos from Our Guests.

Not a Grizzly (Click photo to enlarge)

The grizzly bears of British Columbia, including the Knight Inlet area, are not normally referred to as brown bears. That reference tends to be for the bears in Alaska. The bear in this photo is not a grizzly bear even though it is brown. It is a “Brown” Black Bear, notice no hump. This bear appears along the shore of Knight Inlet on a rare occasion.

 

Wildlife safari to the “River”

When you book an extra day at our lodge on Knight Inlet it comes with a trip to the Kakweikan River. This is a remote river, about forty-five minutes from the lodge. Few people that are not our guests visit this area. It has fantastic scenery, occasionally grizzly bears and river fishing if your are interested. The day is spent with Trapper Rick who has earned his living on the river for better than twenty years. Photo byPeter Palstring 6-6

Whale Watching near Telegraph Cove on Vancouver Island

Resident orca spend their summers in the area between Vancouver Island and the BC mainland and are likely to be found near Robson Bight which is part of the Johnstone Strait. A good orca photo will try to capture the bulk of the orca out of the water with their eye patch showing. Success! Wildlife normally viewed on a “whale watching tour” included orca, humpback whales, stellar sealions, seals, eagles, a variety of ducks and frequently black bears. Photos by

Peter Palstring 4-6

Sexing a Grizzly Bear

A common question on a grizzly tour is ” Is that a male or female grizzly bear?” If it has cubs or if it is a really large bear not to hard to answer. If not you need a grizzly to do what this one is doing on the beach: females urinate backward and males forward. Other than that often your guess is as good as mine unless it is a bear we see frequently and are able to identify. As the grizzly viewing part of the tour comes to an end it is time to head back to the lodge. Still on the look out for wildlife on the shore, in the air or coming out of the water. Photos by 

 

Peter Palstring 3-6

Large Grizzly Bear in Knight Inlet

Some of the Knight Inlet grizzlies are bigger than others and this is an example of a healthy grizzly bear. The good sized hump, belly a little closer to the ground (a fall belly rather than a June belly) and a good set of claws all indicate a larger bear. Grizzlies in the estuary accept our watching as long as we remain outside their comfort zone they pay little attention to our “annoying” picture taking. Photos by 

 

Peter Palstring 2-6

Grizzly Bears in a Knight Inlet Estuary

The viewing stands in Knight Inlet’s Glendale River are used after August 25th. The grizzly are in the spawning channel feeding on salmon however somedays the viewing in the estuary is not bad, this appears to be one of those days. These are “lunchtime photos” our lunchtime and it appears the bears also. This mother with last season’s cubs is eating sedge grass and later trying for a free meal. Photos by

Peter Palstring 1-6

Vancouver Island – Telegraph Cove Area (3 of 3)

Many herring balls form off Bold Head which is a land mass not far from Telegraph Cove a tourist destination on Vancouver Island north of Campbell River. The ideal photo will be one like the one taken byGary Wilson, it is what you hope to have in your picture, a humpback lunge feeding. The plan is to sit near a herring ball and wait until the gulls shoot into the air and be ready.

Vancouver Island – Telegraph Cove Area (2 of 3)

The herring in the waters along the shores of Vancouver Island are at the bottom of the food chain (just above plankton and krill). You know your position in the food chain when your main defense is getting in a tight ball and revolving from inside to outside so you can breath. The many ducks and diving birds in the area force the herring into balls, which try to escape by moving up to the surface. This attracts gulls and attracts whale watching guides and guests.

 

Vancouver Island – Telegraph Cove Area 1 of 3

On your whale watching day most of the time is spent is the waters off the east shore of Vancouver Island. This water is rich in wildlife and it is not uncommon to see seagulls congregating in one area, in fact, that is a good thing. Whether you are sports fishing or looking for humpback whales you want to see flocks of gulls to have a “good” day. These photos were taken in Johnstone Strait, which is a body of water between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia, the pictures are from different days.

 

Lodge safari wildlife tour to the River

The rivers along the BC coast, in the area of Knight Inlet are subject to extreme water level changes, which may wash out a bridge. This was not the case with Rick’s river rather it was an engineer who had a section of a bridge removed. After the fact no other official agrees with the decision but it takes time to have an error corrected. Until then we use a boat. Photos byBruce & Carole Cripps 10-11