1909_0726 Waiting Game
A healthy Black Bear uses her eyes, ears, and especially her nose to detect salmon moving upstream to spawn along the BC coast. Hours can go by with very little action; it takes just the right conditions to induce the salmon to run their river. The bears know this and will wait all day. When the action does begin, the calorie payoff can be huge.
Those of you who have been following my work for at least a couple of years may recognize this as Georgina, the World's Coolest Bear. Working with her was not quite like having a pet bear, but close. She is a predator, but she also understands boundaries: bears on one side of the river, people on the other. Yes, we can all get along. A good starting point is to have a healthy respect, but no fear. I photographed this bear two summers in a row (Mel and others have been around her much longer than that), and not once did I have a twinge of doubt or feel unsafe in her presence. Wildlife are very attuned to our body language and whatever scent we give off, and they respond accordingly. My time with the coastal Black Bears ranks very high among the peak wildlife photo adventures of my life!
Photographed on the wild coast of British Columbia (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2019 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
1909_0726 Waiting Game
A healthy Black Bear uses her eyes, ears, and especially her nose to detect salmon moving upstream to spawn along the BC coast. Hours can go by with very little action; it takes just the right conditions to induce the salmon to run their river. The bears know this and will wait all day. When the action does begin, the calorie payoff can be huge.
Those of you who have been following my work for at least a couple of years may recognize this as Georgina, the World's Coolest Bear. Working with her was not quite like having a pet bear, but close. She is a predator, but she also understands boundaries: bears on one side of the river, people on the other. Yes, we can all get along. A good starting point is to have a healthy respect, but no fear. I photographed this bear two summers in a row (Mel and others have been around her much longer than that), and not once did I have a twinge of doubt or feel unsafe in her presence. Wildlife are very attuned to our body language and whatever scent we give off, and they respond accordingly. My time with the coastal Black Bears ranks very high among the peak wildlife photo adventures of my life!
Photographed on the wild coast of British Columbia (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2019 James R. Page - all rights reserved.