After the Bear Fight

Right after the fighting bears moved further out to the coastline our guide told us that the fate of the cubs was rather concerning, as one pair of cubs ran northward which is where the boars (male bears) lived and are known to kill cubs to put the mothers back into heat. Meanwhile the other pair took off to the south for who knows where, in which if the mothers don't find their cubs in time, the tide could take them out and they could drown. So it left us all rather worried for these little guys as we headed on our way back to the lodge for breakfast.

So while traveling back in our quad wagons, amazingly enough our guide somehow managed to spot a pair of cubs high up in the treetops! Interestingly enough, although these trees were well over 2 kms from where the fight broke out, it was only about 500m from the safety of lodge! Our guide told us then that the momma bear likely had previously treed her cubs here, letting them know that if danger happened this was were they were to go. As we drove passed them you could see them there motionlessly clinging onto the treetops. It was so sad to see yet we were happy to see they were safe.

 

Upon arriving at the lodge, we met up with another bunch of photographers who were just heading out for the day. We all quickly devoured our hot breakfast as everyone was anxious to see what had happened with the bears. When we drove passed the cub location they were no longer there. But upon meeting up with the other photographers out at the mudflats, they had told us that they saw the momma bear come along and sit at the bottom of the tree and then called her cubs down. And the first thing she did was she nurse them to calm them down. What an amazing momma!

Shortly after that we did find the other momma, who also found her cubs and was back digging for clams, but we decided to leave them alone and move on, as they had had enough excitement for the day. And what a day it was!