Surveillance

“Surveillance”

In the fall of 2019, we were very fortunate to have photographed four Spirit Bears in the Great Bear Rainforest in northern British Columbia, Canada. We spent a week staying in Marven Robinson’s settlement, a native of the area, and the guardian of the Great Bear Rainforest. Everyday he took us by boat to the various streams in which he knew the bears were known to come down to fish for the protein rich salmon that was needed for their winter hibernation. After hiking along bear trails through the lush boreal rainforest, climbing over fallen logs, traversing up and down steep cliffs, and crossing various streams, it was here we found “Warrior” a large female Spirit Bear, recognizable by the scar across her snout. It was interesting to watch her as she selectively stood upon rocks to survey the water in search of salmon and the best catching points. Fortunately, her white coat gives her an advantage, as her white image doesn’t cast a dark shadow that the fish can see, like it does of the black bears. With this, and her chosen advantage point of surveillance, her chances of success are high!

-Stan Masters

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