Black Bear Diaries 2011 Part 5: Sow and Cub bond

This Sow had two cubs last year but unfortunately lshe ost one after a dramatic and deadly encounter with a big male bear (a male bear is called a Boar) during last year's mating season.

You can see the scar on the cub's head which is shown by the discoloured fur. This Sow and cub have been frequent visitors to the field this year and to-date star in all the "Black Bear Diaries 2011" blog posts. She is the bear that likes to stand up. Even though a Bear's eyesight is about as good as ours they like to stand up to get a better look at who is approaching. I will never forget the first time I encountered a bear that stood up to check me out. It was my third sighting last year (5th ever in fact) and a definite "Oh sh*t" moment much like the first time you see a shark when snorkeling. The Bear was eating a deer carcass and when I drove past and opened the car door camera in hand, the Bear stood up to get a better look at me and that certainly gets the andrenaline flowing.

This is my 5th sighting of this family in six outings and although she is a little on edge now and again when other bears show up, she seems to tolerate my presence. On the five occasions I have seen her this year she has been happily eating grass at the back of the field and after a while both she and the cub disappear into the forest.

I thought this image portrayed the close bond between mother and cub.

Image © J M Douglas|Photography 2011

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