We always keep our eyes open for Black Bears cruising the beaches at low tide. Sometimes it also pays to look up. Black Bears are much sleeker then Grizzlies and have short claws, which makes them excellent climbers. In the late summer there are often salal berries growing on the rocky outcroppings, which the bears enjoy.
Black Bears are often seen in our area and are excellent climbers. Unlike the Grizzly Bears they have short, sharp claws and can easily climb tress and move over harsh steep terrain. This bear was spotted on the way up Knight Inlet on a steep rock face overlooking the water.
All bears in North America are excellent swimmers. Some people even consider Polar Bears a marine animal, due to the large distances that they swim. The mouth of Knight Inlet is dotted with many small islands and channels. When food becomes scarce, or competition with other bears arises these bears will simply swim to another island or the mainland. Thanks to Brien for the photo.
Black Bears are a common sight in our area. Unlike the Grizzly Bears they do not congregate in great numbers around the salmon rivers. They would if they could, but the Grizzlies are the more dominant bear and push the Black Bears out. Black Bears are smaller and have short, very sharp claws that allow them to climb trees with ease. Grizzly’s long, curved digging claws prevent them from climbing, except as young cubs.
In the Knight Inlet area it is rare to see Black Bears feeding on salmon in the river. The reason for this is that the Grizzly Bears are the dominant bears and push the black bears out of these prime areas. The Black Bears tend to be more spread out and when the tide is low we often spot them rolling rocks on the beach looking for shore crab.
Thanks to Warren for this picture of a black bear cub standing. Bears are curious animals and rely on their acute sense of smell. Often bears will stand up to get a better look and more importantly a better sniff of what’s around them.
As a guide at Sailcone’s Grizzly Bear Lodge we are always keeping our eyes open for Black Bears feeding along the beach. This is especially common at low tide when the mussel and barnacle covered rocks are exposed. This particular bear has wandered down a log and is feeding on small mussels.
Bald Eagles are frequently sighted in our area. At times they can be seen in large numbers. This is usually where food supplies are high. For example this could be in areas with high concentrations of baitfish or along the rivers in the fall when the salmon are spawning. They are not migratory, but do move around with the food supply. As mentioned earlier when the salmon are spawning we often see many along the rivers, while there will be fewer along the coastline. With little need for camouflage their white head and tail feathers can be spotted easily. The female is slightly larger and her white head extends down a bit farther onto the body, but it is subtle. It takes these birds 4.5 – 5 years to acquire this unique plumage. As juveniles they are a brown colour. With exceptional eyesight and the ability to view 270 degrees they are understandably often seen in high perches and in trees near points and passageways.
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