Double Trouble

There was never a shortage of excitement while spending time among the bears of the Great Bear Rainforest. Although the streams below us were alive with salmon and adult bears busily fishing, some of the most heartwarming moments came from much higher up.

During the fall salmon run, large male bears often patrol the streams in search of food. For mothers with cubs, however, these giants pose a serious threat. Male bears will sometimes kill cubs in an attempt to bring the female back into heat, so mothers do everything they can to protect their young. One of their favourite nurseries is high in the treetops, where curious cubs are safely out of reach.

As we sat quietly watching the bears fish, we would often hear the unmistakable cries of cubs hidden above us. Their little bawls echoed through the forest as they watched their mothers below catching salmon. Every now and then, we'd witness an incredible display of motherhood. With a twenty-pound salmon clamped firmly in her jaws, a determined sow would climb back up the tree to deliver a meal to her hungry youngsters.

These two cubs had been tucked safely away high in the treetops, far from the dangers below. But like any youngsters, they seemed determined to keep an eye on the action. Side by side, they peered down from their lofty nursery, watching the world below with equal parts curiosity and mischief while remaining close to the safety their mother had chosen for them.

Moments like this remind us that life in the wild is not only about survival, but also about the extraordinary devotion of a mother doing everything she can to protect and provide for her young.

Watching these little ones together, it was impossible not to smile and think that if ever there were a pair deserving of the name Double Trouble, these two certainly were.

 - Stan Masters

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