Bears of the Great Bear Rain Forest, BC August 2015
Ready to Go
The Captain and his boat wait for us as we gather our gear for the day.
A new day, a new adventure
Today we travel to a different island with different habitat. No longer in the rain forest, we are hiking through tall grass to reach Mussel River in the hopes of observing grizzly bears.
Grizzly bears and black bears do not inhabit the same islands for several reasons. Grizzly bears prefer more open, grassy areas for foraging, while the black bear prefers a more dense forest atmosphere. Grizzlies need far more room to roam than black bears require, and grizzly bears are at the top of the food chain making black bears vulnerable as prey.
Even though the expanse is flat and open, one must be careful when hiking through the tall vegetation. The big brown bears enjoy sleeping and napping in this type of environment, so one would not want to surprise a sleeping bear by stepping on it.
This young grizzly we named Rupert proved to be quite entertaining
Like Snoozy the day before, Rupert was enjoyable to observe.
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He is looking for fish in the Mussel River.
A young grizzly, he is probably hungry, thinking about lunch.
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Playing and fishing
As the day was quite warm, Rupert seemed to enjoy being in the river, regardless of intent.
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Ever so slowly he creeps up
Let's see if he knows how to fish.
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Giving chase for his lunch.
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Unfortunately...
Rupert's fishing skills are not quite up to par, and he misses. It's a hard life for a bear.
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So do these guys take classes in modeling?
Rupert was very calm with our presence across the river. He seemed to enjoy posing for us, rarely venturing far from our lens.
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That's one clean paw!
After leaving the water, Rupert groomed himself a bit.
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Posing 101.
A pretty setting among the purple flowers.
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Posing 102...what a ham!
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Uh oh...is he coming this way?
As we remain quiet and still in our same viewing spot, we notice that Rupert has swum across the river and is heading our way. We hold our breath, listening as our heartbeats seem to resonate outside our chests as he comes closer and closer.
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A little Too close for comfort..
Although this photo was shot with a long lens, Rupert is still much closer than desired. Never showing any signs of menace or aggression, like Winnie the Spirit Bear, it seems he wants to join the party. Our seasoned guide Krista, a First Nation woman who has been guiding for years, reminds us to remain still, quiet and low among the grass. As Rupert ventures even closer, Krista begins talking to him in low tones and taps on her plastic first aid case, sending him away. Maybe I'm just anthropomophizing, but his expression in this image, to me, portrays a bit of sadness and resignation that he must leave.
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Trekking back to the boat.
Walking over intense green, squishy moss, I marvel at the variation in the landscape. Each day brings a new, distinct variation of the rain forest environment. Soon after we leave, a tidal surge will cover our footsteps.
Interesting moss formations
Many of the trees in this rainforest, which date back a thousand years, appear with swirling ribbons of candy cane moss encircling their trunks. As I look up at their towering ceilings above me, I wonder what secrets they must keep.
VIDEO: Waterfalls2
Waterfalls near Klemtu, BC in the Great Spirit Bear Rainforest display unbridled power within the primeval rain forest.
Our last view of Klemtu.....
Sadly we leave, but even before departure, we know we will return. The Great Bear Rain Forest provided a solstice which we had never before experienced, and one I know we will long for again.
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