This is not an uncommon pose to a black bear or even for a grizzly bear. Bears are on the beach in the spring because plant food is relatively scarce during spring and bears will continue to loose weight until well into June. Plant foods make up the majority of a bear’s diet (sometimes, as much as 90%). The black bears are kept from the salmon rivers by the grizzly bears so the beaches remain one of their main sources of protein all year. I believe
this “back to us pose” is because the beach slopes down to the water line and it is easier to roll rocks downhill.
Grizzly watching us?
Every once in a while it appears that we are in a zoo. By that I mean our guests and myself are in a cage, the viewing platform, and the grizzly bears are free on the outside and watching. On occasion the bears do pause from their catching and eating salmon to glance our way. It may be the clicking of a camera or a sudden movement above their head but they do notice but not for long as food has a higher priority and not “something” in a cage.
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