Grizzly sow & cub

In the fall, bears eat a great deal in anticipation of spending the winter hibernating — well, they do not actually hibernate but have a somewhat lighter sleeping state called torpor. At a fish-bearing stream, bears will eat nearly continuously in anticipation of the forthcoming long torpor. For bears, a river of Kokanee spawning provides a smorgasbord.

These two grizzlies are a mother and her young cub. When together, the sow is clearly larger than the cub, but when seen alone, it is often difficult to tell which is which.

The two grizzlies were sometimes affectionate toward each other. The sow is on the left with her back towards us and the cub is on the right facing us. Some time ago, the sow sustained an injury on her right rear hip where the fur has regrown. Photo by Cynthia.

The grizzlies were continually catching and eating the Kokanee in the river.

When not eating, the bears would hunt or move to a new spot.

The grizzly moves a Kokanee to the land to eat it.

The cub works on a Kokanee. Note the fish’s eye below the bear’s paw.

Sometimes eating in the water produces lots of splashing. Photo by Cynthia.

The two grizzlies were never far apart, but rarely close enough to be in the same picture. The sow is on the log, while the cub, with a catch, has its back to us. Photo by Cynthia.

Together: the sow is on the left and the cub is on the right.