Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Polar Bear and Cubs
And there was also one person who got attacked by two sub adults on the Iceberg trail in
Glacier Park about 2 weeks before I hiked on the Iceberg Trail. The 2 bears came running
down the trail and briefly mauled the hiker but he kicked at them and they carried on running.
He suspected that they were being chased by an adult since they kept running. The afternoon
before I had been out behind the Swift Current Motel photographing grizzlies, including one
that was stripping and old carcass, probably and elk was exposed by the melting snow, I saw a
sow with 2 cubs. Early the next morning, I went out and hiked the Iceberg Trail to get some
photographs of the sunrise, the remaining snow, and the lower elevation flowers, keeping a
look out for some grizzlies. My wife insisted that I wear one of those bear bells on my belt
which was reassuring as it clanged away as I walked; at least I did not have to talk loudly to
myself. There was a very strong wind blowing towards me off the snow at probably 30 miles
an hour or more. I stopped every now and again to photograph the early morning light, scenery
and flowers. Early morning light is one of my favorite lights apart from the African Bushveld
lit by a setting sun and dark blue-gray rainy clouds in the background. I never saw any bears
but some hikers caught up behind me and asked if I had seen a bear. I told them I did not, to
which they told me that behind me a bear had run across the trail between us. I never heard it.
Obviously, as has been described by other people, bears will often hide when they hear people
and then come out later. The other group of hikers had no bells and probably fairly quiet. The
bear had just let me go by and at an opportune moment crossed behind me. It was probably not
aware of the hikers further down the trail emerging from the pine trees since the wind and scent
would have been in the wrong direction. I never saw the sow with the two cubs or another sow
with 3 cubs that was in the same area the previous afternoon. Perhaps that is just as well that I
never met them. Bruce's friend, George, a biologist, had been just east of Yellowstone early
one day and noticed a moose with antlers suddenly charging towards him. He didn't know why
but wisely climbed up a tree and the moose charged by underneath the branches and carried on.
Whether a bear was guilty or not as in the You Tube video of a bear chasing a moose on the
road, is not clear. Before we left for Mazunga, George said “take care of my good friend
Bruce” - I took that to heart.
There is one thing one must remember about Yellowstone - the animals are wild here,
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