Black Bear Diaries 2011 Part 9: Time to go it alone - life without mum

Do you remember these two cheeky looking brothers from Part 3? 

If not click here to read Part 3: http://jmdouglasphotography.blogspot.com/2011/04/bacl-bear-diaries-part-3-introducing.html

On Thursday night I was riding my bike down a forest road and happened to come across these two cubs for the second time this year. Sometime between April 22nd and now momma bear has kicked these two yearling cubs out of home and they are now exploring the world on their own. I got talking to a local guy and his daughter as we watched these two cross the road and enter a clearing. He kindly offered me the use of his flat bed (back of truck) so I could get a decent vantage point. As you could see these guys were close and not at all that bothered by our presence but even so it's good to respect the boundaries of wildlife. You can see these two have certainly gained a few lbs since the end of April and it will be interesting to see how they get on now mum isn't looking after them.

As we watched them they just went about their business eating the sage grass and eventually disappeared into the forest. I couldn't believe how much ground bears can travel. In what seemed like a minute or so since they vanished into the bush we again spotted them on the other side of the steep ravine.

Did you know: Eventually the time comes in a cubs life when momma bear decides her job is done and they are now ready to survive on their own. Studies have show that this happens when the momma bear is ready for breeding and the cubs are one or two years old. Once out of the careful care of their mum siblings may stay together for a period of time before eventually going their separate ways. A time will come when the male siblings will be old enough to compete for females and territory so they wont want to be hanging around each other.

I wish these two guys the best of luck and hopefully I encounter them again through summer and fall.

Techs: 400MM @ F5.6 // 1/60 // ISO1250

Canon 7D with 400MM F5.6 L

Image © J M Douglas|Photography 2011

Techs: 400MM @ F5.6 // 1/160 // ISO1250

Canon 7D with 400MM F5.6 L

Image © J M Douglas|Photography 2011

This is the little brown/black one. He is skinnier than his brother so hopefully he can put on enough weight this year to make it through his first winter.

Techs: 400MM @ F5.6// 1/125 // ISO1250

Canon 7D with 400MM F5.6 L

Image © J M Douglas|Photography 2011

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For more information on Black Bears visit: http://www.bear.org/

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