The grizzly bears we view on Knight Inlet are different than the Alaskan grizzly, as they are well fed and or not competing for food. It is estimated that there are over forty bears on the Glendale and enough food that serious fights are rare. Unlike their northern cousins Knight Inlet grizzly bears do not have open wounds or scares from previous years fights. Because of this it viewing “play fighting” on a regular bases is quite common.“We felt so privileged to be able to experience the bears up close in their own environment and Grizzly Bear Lodge’s exclusive use of the viewing stands at Glendale Cove enabled everyone in our group to get fantastic sightings.”Photos by Bruce & Carole Cripps 7-11
Sea Otter Sightings

The last 3 years we have been starting to view sea otters in our area more regularly. They are still often a distance away, but the sightings are increasing with some “rafts” of them developing in areas near the western portion of our whale watching trips. These animals were hunted heavily for their fur and were completely wiped out of British Columbia waters. Re-introduction occurred from Alaskan otters in the 1960’s. They have long been protected and their numbers have been steadily increasing along the exposed BC coast and are now moving back into inside waters. They are unique in that they don’t have the insulating blubber that other marine mammals use to keep warm. As a result they have dense (over 1 million hairs per square inch) fur and feed heavily. They are important in balancing the eco-system. They eat a lot of sea urchins, which eat a lot of kelp. Kelp is extremely important as it provides cover for juvenile fish and is where the herring spawn in the early spring. With the increase in these otters we are seeing a greater abundance and healthier kelp forests.
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