Tag Archives: grizzly

Grizzly Bear Watching Us?

Grizzly Bear Watching?

Knight Inlet is north of Campbell River on mainland BC off the east shore of Vancouver Island.  Our lodge on Minstrel Island is approximately 20 kilometers from the mouth of Knight Inlet.  A further 25 kilometers up the inlet and you are at the viewing area.  The fall viewing stands provide great photo opportunities of grizzly bears feeding on the salmon.  Some of the bears seem to be posing for the camera but their main interest in eating as “den time” is not that far away. The white shape in the water behind the bear is a dead salmon. This grizzly sat in the pool below the viewing stands and picked salmon of the bottom and wasted few calories doing so, which means more fat.

 

Grizzly Bears also enjoy flowers

Grizzly Bears Like Flowers

Our lodge is located between Vancouver Island and mainland BC on Knight Inlet a forty five-minute plane ride from Campbell River.  The grizzly bears are normally viewed “up” the inlet from the lodge on the Glendale River.  In the fall the bears are feeding on the salmon in the river as the photo shows even a grizzly seems to pause in the meal to enjoy a flower.

 

Grizzly bears looking for dry land

Grizzly Bear

The same grizzlies from the December 28th post have left the water and are heading for higher ground. You can tell that this is a mid August grizzly by the lack of “belly”.  By the early October and more than a month of eating salmon her legs will appear much shorter.  Grizzlies can increase their body weight by one third to one half before they den up for the winter.

 

 

Grizzlies Cool off

 

Grizzly and cub

All grizzly bear trips from the lodge prior to August 25th view bears along the shore of Knight Inlet and in the Glendale River estuary. Mother grizzlies start to bring their cubs to these areas in late May and stay for the salmon that arrive in late August. Grizzly cubs are naturally playful and if there is more than one the mother gets some rest as they play together but in this case it is all about mom. If there is not much shore remaining then lets play in the water.  Can you think of a better way to cool off in August? Thanks again to Marc & Solange from France for the photo.

Grizzlies Share Bounty

Grizzly Claws

Grizzly bears are omnivores, and their diet can vary widely. They may eat seeds, berries, roots, grasses, fungi, deer, elk, fish, dead animals and insects. In the late summer and early fall, grizzlies enter hyperphagia, a period of 2-4 months when they intensify their calorie intake to put on weight for winter denning. During this time period they can gain more than three pounds a day! Because of their diet grizzly bears have long claws between 3 and 5 inches, which are used for digging, picking fruits, catching prey and this case for holding salmon for their cub. Thanks to Lindy Taylor for another great picture.

 

Grizzly Cub Waiting

Grizzly cub Waiting Dry

Not all grizzly bears enjoy the water especially the first year cubs. In the spring along the shore of Knight Inlet the mother grizzlies often have a hard time coaxing the cubs into the water. At times we have seen them swim away form the cubs forcing them into the water. This cub is about nine months old and still prefers to stay dry while waiting for mother to provide food. Tomorrow’s post shows that food.

Grizzly Bear Enjoying a Salmon

Grizzly with Salmon

Great photo from Lindy Taylor of a Grizzly Bear having just caught a salmon and looking for a safe place to eat. The abundance of salmon in the area reduces the fighting between grizzlies but it pays to be cautious. Most bears just move to the bank of the river to eat however some use one of the many rocks located in the river. It is estimated that there are between 45 and 50 grizzlies that come to the Glendale River to take advantage of the salmon that spawn in late August through October.

 

Grizzly Bears Fatten for Hibernation

Two Grizzly Eating

“Grizzly bears feeding on Salmon. Photo taken from the viewing platform.”
Lynn is correct that the grizzly bears seems to have the catching and eating part down pretty good.  Some grizzly become selective in what part of the salmon they will eat.  Some prefer only the eggs, others the brain or skin and others “everything”.  The parts they tend to eat often are determined by how close they are to hibernation.

 

Grizzly Bear Enjoying Lunch

Grizzly Eating Salmon

“Bears, bears everywhere. Amazing to see the bears swimming and so relaxed so close to the viewing platforms. This photo was taken from the viewing platform, giving us a good panoramic view of the Bear activity!”“Having a swim and eating lunch at the same time!”  As Lynn indicates the viewing platform used by Grizzly Bear Lodge provides a view of the natural river as well as the entrance to the spawning channel. Grizzly bears spend time fishing in both areas the choice depends on the number of bears in the area as well as the concentration of salmon.

 

 

Salmon waiting to spawn

Salmon

The entrance to the spawning channel is directly below the viewing stand used by the lodge after August 24th. The salmon wait in this area before they proceed over the weir which is the entrance to the man made channel that was built to increase the success of the pink salmon’s spawning in Knight Inlet’s Glendale River.