Grizzly Bear Love

The Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary is nothing short of remarkable. I am forever grateful for the people who had the foresight to protect this place. This protected area represents some of the highest quality grizzly bear habitat in the Great Bear Rainforest – and all of Canada for that matter.

A science-based management plan has been in place since the Sanctuary was established in 1914. Part of that plan included bear-viewing guidelines that created a predictable pattern of human behaviour. Now almost 30 years later, the bears have come to view humans as a benign part of the background while they go about their daily activities, giving bear-viewers a unique window into the lives and behaviour of these remarkable animals.

On the day this photo was taken, this meant watching two bears courting during mating season, making for a very intimate bear encounter!