The two viewing stands used by Grizzly Bear Lodge on our wildlife tours in Knight Inlet seem to attract bears. They show no fear of the red and orange suited guests or the click of cameras as they pass beneath the stands. The main attraction is salmon. The grizzly bears have a limited time to add enough fat to survive hibernation. Once the salmon arrive in mid August and we are permitted to use the stands after August 24th we view bears eating salmon. If cubs do not add enough fat they will not survive hibernation and if expectant mothers body fat is not high enough the fertilized eggs will be absorbed and fewer cubs will be born for the next year. Pausing to see the roses does not seem to be an option for grizzly bears this time of the year.
It is not difficult to tell which grizzly bear is dominant in this situation. Alone and vulnerable, siblings will often stay together for some time after their mother abandons them, eating and sleeping side-by-side, and even denning together. The average breeding age for female grizzlies is 4.5 years. Males reach sexual maturity at roughly the same age as their female counterparts. So if they stay with their mother for two years this means they may spent two or three years together until a female becomes pregnant or if two males longer.