Tag Archives: grizzly

Close Approach

This is the second photo that Rainer was kind enough to send to us

 

 

 

 

“VERY close approach, raising our pulse rates”

Seeing a Grizzly Bear on land is an experience that few people ever forget.  There is something special about being on the same level as these amazing animals in a safe, yet very much wild situation.

Rainer Beck, Bornheim, Germany

Grizzly Family

grizzly bear familyThis is to be a grizzly bear family that is together for it’s third summer. It is one of the cubs that caught the salmon the mother is on the right. Not sure what has her interest as we were sitting in our skiff about forty meters in front of the cub with the salmon. Actually the guests were in the skiff I was sitting on the bow of the boat holding it in place on the river. The grizzlies did turn and cross the river to eat the salmon but also came back to catch several more while we watched from front row seats. The only time we got their attention was when I stood up to move the skiff away from their fishing area and the mother stopped and looked our way. I sat down and she went back to fishing. We are part of the background as long as we play by the rule – Do not move.

Interesting and Tempting?

grizzlies and deer grazing

The sedge grass is about a meter (yard) tall and with the rising water the grizzly bear is likely standing in water up to its belly. Footing along a river bank is quite slippery and more so in water while the deer is one leap from solid footing. But even on dry ground we frequently see grizzlies and black tailed deer feeding side by side. The chance of a grizzly bear catching deer is so low it is not worth wasting the energy trying.

A Very Rare Bear Photo

grizzly bear nurse three cubs

This photo provided by a guest is the only time I have seen a grizzly bear nursing in such an open area. Often they will be in the taller grass or in the driftwood up the beach where photos “suggest” that they are nursing. This is pretty clear and the guests know it was special as we reminded them often enough.

Grizzlies in the Water 2 of 2

grizzly bears in mating season

I neglected to mention that these two photos were taken in mid-June, which is the peak of the mating season for grizzly bears on the coast of British Columbia. The female swam along the shore and the male walked the shore. This lasted for several hours with the female swimming and walking the beach and all she wanted was food while the male had other ideas.

 

Grizzlies in the Water 1 of 2

grizzly bear swimming

It is not uncommon to have a grizzly bear swimming in the waters of Knight Inlet’s Glendale Cove where we do most of our grizzly bear tours. It is less common to have them enter the water and swim toward the boat and then along the shore. On this day the closeness was for a reason as will be seen in tomorrow’s post….

Grizzly Bear Kill

Black Bear

The extra day’s stay at Grizzly Bear Lodge involves a trip to visit Trapper Rick. We cross Knight Inlet then travel through Thompson Sound to the Kakweikan River a total of about forty-five minutes.  This river is located on the BC mainland and then we travel by road to Rick’s cabin. Several years ago the short hike to the cabin meant passing the location of a fresh grizzly kill.  In this case it was a black bear that was not fast enough at climbing a tree. After about a month the carcass was picked clean and Rick had the skeleton on display at his cabin. A day with Rick may include any or all of the following: short hikes, fishing for salmon, watching salmon spawn (in season), watching grizzlies fishing (again in season), and enjoying Rick’s stories of trapping and living with grizzly bears.

 

Grizzlies Sharing 2 0f 2

Grizzly Bears Share

 Late fall and another mother grizzly this time with a second year cub. The cub still wanting to share mother’s catch even though it is time for it to be doing it’s own fishing. It will not likely get another year of lessons on how to survive. These bears were not blonde in the spring but were definitely much lighter in colour. The change, we have noticed, seems to occur when their diet changes from grass, roots and berries to salmon.

 

Grizzlies Sharing 1 0f 2

Spring grizzly bears

Early June with a mother and cub on the beach.  The cub is still too small to turn over rocks and is dependent on mother’s milk for nourishment. Both mother and cub are very light coloured tending toward blonde. This colour will change as the season progresses and they have access to salmon. At this age the cub remains close to mother partly in fear of other bears but more to learn how to survive.

 

Grizzly bear watching? 1 of 2

Grizzly bear watching river

This grizzly came to a point about 8 meters (26 feet) from the base of the viewing platform that overlooks the spawning channel on Knight Inlet’s Glendale River. The platform, which we use after August 24th, provides a view of the man-made spawning channel containing salmon. This is a favourite fishing location for the grizzlies on the lodge’s grizzly bear watching tours. That creates the problem for this bear as will be seen in tomorrow’s post….