Protective sow

This was the first time I had seen a grizzly sow react protectively when encountering a grizzly boar.

The Grizzly Bear is a top predator: Even a cougar will back away from its kill when a grizzly approaches. No other local wildlife matches the strength of a boar (male grizzly). The boar leads a solitary life. He is aggressive towards other males in his territory, towards females that refuse to mate with him, and even towards cubs, although the boar will usually accept a female in his territory if she doesn’t have cubs.

Why doesn’t the boar like cubs and will even try to kill them? There seem to be two reasons: He sees the cubs as potential competition; Females with cubs won’t mate. Even though smaller, a female will fight vigorously to save her cubs.

The first grizzlies seen were a sow and her three cubs. They were foraging along the side of a backcountry road. At one point, instead of continuing along the road, she turned and moved her charges into the brush.

When deep in the brush, the sow arranged the cubs tightly around her, almost as if they were assembled for a family portrait. Although she was agitated, the cubs seemed relaxed, one even licked its mother. I have seen a sow with her cubs a number of times, but never before assembled as here (photo: CCF).

The reason for the sow’s behaviour became clear: a boar appeared from the side of the road (photo: FFG).

The immediate response of the sow was to minutely monitor the movement of the boar. When the boar wandered off in the other direction, the sow took her cubs farther into the woods (photo: FFG).

In fairness to the skittish sow, I, too, was cautious around this fellow.

The second picture was taken by Cynthia C. Fraser. The third and fourth pictures were taken by Finn F. Grathwol. Each is used with permission.