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.
Blacktail deer and grizzly
It is common to see deer and grizzly bears in close proximity. On the beach they will be with in 50 meters (yards) of each other and the bears will not attempt to run down the deer. It is a calculation of how much energy will be used and the chance of success and to a grizzly the answer is NO. On this day we were moving up river and waiting for the tide to rise before our next move. The grizzly and cubs we had been watching moved across the river (can see the mother grizzly on the stump on the far side watching) when a doe and two fawns walked across in front of our boat. The deer in the picture is a small fawn so the water in only 20 cm (6 inches) deep and about deep enough so we can move up river.
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