Grizzly Bear and Wildlife Viewing Blog: Yearly Archives: 2014

Blacktail deer swimming

It is always interesting that along the coast the blacktail deer population is exploding yet it is rare to observe them swimming between islands. The explosion is blamed on a lack of predators (cougars and wolves) and restrictive hunting regulations. On the islands where deer are present, they exist in high densities, around one per hectare, and they’re devouring native plants. Some smaller islands, which can reasonably support 200 or so deer, are now home to thousands. Young arbutus trees and native flowers, for example, are now rare, and birds that rely on the plants are also disappearing. As well, the fierce competition for food leaves the deer hungry and scrawny.

 

Humpback whale lunge feeding

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 Whale watching safaris in and around Johnstone Strait always provide opportunities for interesting photographs. In this case it is a humpback whale lunge feeding beneath or up through a school of herring. The boat in the background is also of interest as it belongs to Susan MacKay who spends her summers in this area photographing whales, orca and all marine mammals.

 

 

Cooling off in the summer

The end of July and if you were wearing a fur coat all the time you might want to spend sometime in the water. This morning on the lodges grizzly bear tour up Knight Inlet to the Glendale River estuary a mother grizzly and her cub spent the better part of an hour soaking in the water. The water in the cove is a mixture to fresh and salt water with enough fresh that the grizzlies will drink the surface water. It s also a good time for this six month old to become more accustomed to the water. The cubs will follow their mother into the water at a younger age but it is with reluctance.

 

 

Follow the leader

Pacific white-sided dolphins inhabit the coastal water of British Columbia. Whether on a grizzly bear tour, whale watching trip or on the way to the wild river on the extra day at the lodge it is possible to find a pod of dolphins. Whale watching guidelines require that boats come no closer than 100 meters (yards) but the dolphins do not seem to follow the guidelines. They ride the bow wake, nose into the prop wash and when the boat stops swim underneath and around.

 

 

Black Bear working the beach

This black bear was viewed on one of the evening tours that happen on your arrival day. A local wildlife boat trip is taken to familiarize guest with boats and guides as well as finding black bear, bald eagles, harbour seals etc. This bear is looking for it’s evening meal located under rocks. This inter-tidal zone “food” is high in protein and is made up of crab, clams, barnacles, amphipods and other tiny invertebrates. The “beach food” is important because plant food is relatively scarce during spring and bears will continue to loose weight until well into June. Yes it is a large rock and the bear did turn it over with a little effort.

 

Tracking sealions

The USA Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) has a program to brand Steller sea lions as a means to estimate vital population parameters in the future. The western stock is listed as endangered under the ESA (U.S. Endangered Species Act) and the eastern stock is listed as threatened. The Steller Sea Lion Recovery Team recommended in 2000 that researchers begin branding and marking Steller sea lion pups throughout their range. Most summer we viewing two of three branded sea lions and report them online.

 

 

Useful tools

A good photograph showing the claws on this sub-adult grizzly bear. Brown bear or grizzly bear claws are long and curved, ranging in color from yellow to brown. These claws are used to dig up roots and bulbs of plants, to excavate den sites as well as wrap around and hold salmon.

 

 

I want to come in

Guest to the viewing platforms on Knight Inlet’s Glendale River occasionally ask why is there a caged walk way up to the first platform. This photo is the answer showing that some of the juvenile grizzlies are curious. The grizzly bears have been known to use the wire of the cage as a back rub but none have been aggressive or tried to force the gate.

 

Bathroom break

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Telegraph Cove is a tourist destination on the north East Coast of Vancouver Island. It is a two and half-hour drive from Campbell River but more important it is often our bathroom stop while whale watching. It has nice clean restroom and also great coffee or hot chocolate. Depending on the location of mornings viewing we normally arrive there around 11:00 or 11:30 for a break and then return to the water and our picnic lunch and continued marine wildlife viewing.

 

 

Orca passing under boats

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Click to enlarge then click again
Click to enlarge then click again
Click to enlarge then click again

On days when the killer whales are feeding it is not unusual to have them come close to the boat. Sitting quietly in one position if that position happens to be over a school of salmon makes for an interesting viewing. This orca choose our boat as a base and swam around and under the boat several times while catching salmon. Some days are golden in the case black and white.