...and bears, oh my!

 

I have just returned from visiting family in Terrace, on the north coast of British Columbia. While there we took a day trip up the Nisga'A highway(#113). We saw many interesting sights which I will be sharing with you, most exciting for me was the wildlife.

We saw a black bear and her cub along the side of the road. They were in a flat area at the edge of the forest. The mamma bear was between us and her cub and did not seem too worried about our presence. We stopped the car long enough for me to take some pictures. No one got out of the car and we did not want to risk angering her so did not stay more than a couple of minutes.

These bears hibernate during the winter months and this cub may have been born over the winter. Her coat is matted and she may have emerged from hibernation recently. She was eating dandelion heads and other vegetation and after briefly considering whether we were a threat went back to her meal.

 

The cub is just behind its mother, and is quite visible below.

 

I caught a bit of the rear view mirror in this picture and the one below.

 

She was about 2.5 to 3 feet tall at the shoulders and about 6 feet long.

 

The cub disappears into the trees.

 

The bear did not approach us, I used my big lens for some closeups.

 

A formidable beast.

 

This area is also the home of the Kermode or Spirit Bears.

 

"The Kermode bear (Ursus americanus kermodei, pron. kerr-MO-dee), also known as a "spirit bear" (particularly in British Columbia), is a subspecies of the North American Black Bear living in the Central and North Coast regions of British Columbia, Canada.^[1] It is noted for about ¹⁄₁₀ of their population having white or cream-coloured coats. This colour morph is due to recessive genes common in the population. They are not albinos and not any more related to polar bears or the "blonde" brown bears of Alaska's "ABC Islands" than other members of their species. Sometimes a black mother can have a white cub." Wikipedia

 

A few years ago I did see an adult spirit bear, an impressive sight, and maybe a once in a lifetime sighting for me.

 

The cub looking back at mamma bear.

 

Perhaps the mamma saying I'll be there in a minute or two. 

 

 

momma with a mouth full of dandelions.

 

 

Bears are all I have of the Terrace area for today. I was quite delighted to have seen them from a safe vantage point.

 

On the news front I received "Post of the Week" award for my post "What's going on here?", the story about littlest gosling. Thank you Hillary!

 

Here is my latest painting "Baldy", an 11" X 12" watercolour: 

 

 

 

That's all for this week. Thanks for dropping by and happy Whimsy Wednesday, until next time,

 

Gillian