Bear Watching (continued from last week)
Indigenous people have co-existed with bears for thousands of years. At the core the bear represents courage and strength. The bear is seen as protector and healer.
We maintained a respectful distance and kept pace with the bear as he swam along the shoreline searching for food. Bears are omnivores, they feed on berries, roots and shoots, and small mammals. However, nothing matches the high protein and fat hit of the returning salmon. Grizzlies need to pack on the pounds, (about 20% of their body weight), to survive 5 – 7 months of hibernation. Autumn and the annual return of the salmon are perfectly timed to support a grizzly’s preparation for the winter’s fast.
I was fascinated as the bear submerged his head seeming to look for fish in the water.
Ahhhh, relief
After his swim he got out and used an overhanging branch for a scratching post.
Doesn’t this look like a bear that’s enjoyed scratching an itch?
Grizzlies have long straight claws that they use to turn over rocks and dig for food. I didn’t see this boar find any snacks as he nosed along the shore picking at rocks and sticks. At one point he paused his hunt and stared out at the lake. It was a very brief portrait opportunity.
Some grizzlies have a white fur necklace. This bear had beautiful buff coloured fur on his head and hump with a white streak down his left shoulder. The lighting was dark and so was the bear, not great photographic conditions.
I noticed a stretch of golden grass ahead and hoped the bear would step into that scene. He co-operated, fulfilling my wish as well as the researchers’ plan at the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. The scientists set up simple barb wire lines along routes used by the bears to collect fur samples. The fur is analyzed to learn about the health of the bears in the area. Without breaking stride, the boar stepped neatly over the barbwire leaving a fur sample for scientific research.
A few more steps and the bear disappeared into the woods. We returned to camp energized by our first close encounter with a grizzly. Here’s a short video clip I captured on my phone of this gorgeous bear.