In a few short days, I’ll be heading up to
the Khutzeymateen Inlet for some prime bear viewing. Am I excited? You could
say that... Why am I excited? Bear with me…
The Khutzeymateen Valley is a large
conservation area that is infamous for the large number of grizzly bears - not
to mention black bears - that make this sanctuary their home. My hope is that we’ll
get to see a few of these residents as they go about their spring routine… that
is, eating delicious sedges.
Actually, when they’re not sleeping, eating
is pretty much a bear’s main focus. Along with the sedges, a coastal bear’s
annual menu includes fresh greens – and root vegetables for grizzly bears, who
are known for their digging abilities – berries, and finally salmon in the
fall, with some intertidal invertebrates as appetizers. (I would order this 5
course meal any day, hold the sedges).
Because bears are focused on food, we are
able to visit estuaries during the summer and fall with this intention of viewing
grizzly and black bears. Food is so important that these bears are willing to
tolerate humans watching, as long as they are able to continue eating.
Researchers like Dr. Barrie Gilbert – a naturalist with Bluewater Adventures –
theorize that in some places bear viewing has actually helped increase the
population of bears, since the older males are less likely to frequent areas
that humans visit, therefore making it safer for mothers with cubs to feed.
Bear viewing isn’t just about getting great
photographs – for guides it’s about finding that balance between being close
enough to enjoy these magnificent animals, while still giving bears the space
they need to feel comfortable in their activities. How much space? Well, as Grant
MacHutchon – a commercial bear viewing facilitator and also a naturalist with
Bluewater – says, “It depends…”
Is the bear giving signs that it he or she
is stressed? Are there other bears in the area? Is the food source limited? Are
you watching a mother bear with new cubs? These variables to consider while
bear viewing was just one of many discussion topics that arose at the 2013 bear
viewing guide training. This year it took place in Knight Inlet and when we
weren’t discussing bears, we were out in the estuary watching them. Pretty rough,
I know.
Growing up in BC, I’ve had many interactions
with bears, and no two of them were the same. My experiences echoed the main
theme of this course: each interaction that we have with bears is unique. Just like
a person’s mood which changes daily (if not hourly), with many factors
contributing to their overall state of mind, a bear’s tolerance of people
watching them also changes. You might have been able to get fairly close to a mother
bear and her cubs one day, but find the next morning that she is giving signs
of stress at a much greater distance. And we may never know the backstory of
why this is the case. Perhaps a new male moved into the area and threatened her
cubs. Perhaps a wolf pack drove her from her feeding area. Regardless of the
reason, a big part of bear viewing is understanding bear behaviour and reacting
accordingly to their tolerance level at that specific moment. As well, although
bears are highly adaptable creatures, we often watch from consistent areas -
such as bear stands - to allow bears to predict where we will be, and give them
the choice to feed in proximity if they feel comfortable.
Ultimately we want to ensure bears can go
about their normal activity while still offering the best bear viewing experience
for our guests. Keeping these guidelines - and other
guidelines suggested by the Commercial Bear Viewing Association - in mind greatly
increases our chances of incredible encounters with bears.
I’m excited that my – and Bluewater’s –
season of bear viewing will begin in the Khutzeymateen, and I’m also excited
that it will continue through to Alaska, Knight Inlet, and then into Great Bear
Rainforest. The areas we visit are known for high bear concentrations and I
look forward to comparing these experiences to each other and to previous years
with a new lens of understanding bear tolerance.
Now… speaking of berries… I should probably
go taste-test that salmonberry patch again…
