Male pink salmon develop a large hump on their back during spawning, hence the nickname humpback (humpie) salmon. They are the smallest of the fall spawning Pacific salmon. Pinks have a very regular life history, living for two years before returning to spawn the next generation. Pink fry do not rear in freshwater. Immediately after emerging they move downstream to the estuary and rear there for several months before heading out to the open ocean. Because of this, pink fry have no spots, which provide camouflage in streams, but are bright chrome for open water.
The only interest the grizzly has in the life cycle of the pink salmon is their sex. At certain times in their feed grizzly will drop a male humpie to catch a female which contain the high fat content roe (eggs). During this peak of the run when grizzlies have access to an abundance of salmon at that time they will eat only the parts highest in calories – the eggs, skin and brains.
These grizzly bear siblings seem to be old enough to fish on their own but they appear to be waiting for something to happen. It could be the lack of salmon in the river or that other larger dominant bears have moved then to the sidelines. It could be perspective on my part in that when you do not have another bear use for size comparison maybe they are just very fat two year olds waiting for mother to provide another meal. However at two they should be fishing because next year they would normally be on their own. At times the cubs stay with mother more than two years and if she is not pregnant cubs may stay with their mother for four years.
