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Bear adventure in Alaska By Jenni Metcalfe
The two-year old cubs graze like thick shaggy cows completely ignoring human smells and the sounds of cameras clicking frantically only 20 metres away. It is only minutes since the Beaver and Otter seaplanes landed on a still pooled section of one of the thousands of emerald braided streams that cascade down from the chunky mountains stretching into white pinnacles many thousands of metres above. The 90 minute flight from Homer, a small town four and half hours drive from Anchorage at the end of the Kenai peninsular in south-central Alaska, has been an unexpected delight to the 15 passengers focused on bears. Soaring beside towering mountains that burn through the rising sea fog like emerging photographer's prints, they see the glowing blue light of numerous glaciers pouring down the Alaskan peninsular through dense dark forests of Sitka spruce and western hemlock. Active volcanoes surge upwards from the Pacific 'Rim of Fire' and provide a dark contrast to the surrounding white ice fields. Looking down, the passengers glimpse the giant tail fins of humpback whales slapping the surface of the dimpled sea. After such a trip, seeing any bears is a bonus. Gary Porter, owner and senior pilot guide of Bald Mountain Air, explains before the group leaves Homer that it's no use sneaking up on the bears. "Unlike humans who rely mostly on sight and get out into the wilderness and stand and stretch their necks in all directions, bears have finely tuned senses of hearing and smell," he says. "They know we are there before we can even see them." The group wonders about the lack of an accompanying firearm or at least bear spray to protect them. But firearms are prohibited in the National Park, and bear spray if accidentally activated can be dangerous in a small plane. Gary says that while Alaskan coastal brown bears, also known as Kodiak or Alaskan grizzly, have suffered more than 7,000 years at the hands of human hunters, these now-protected bears have become habituated to tourists visiting them regularly during the summer months.
Bald Mountain Air, based in Homer, guarantees its passengers who pay about US$500 for the day's trip that they will see bears. An estimated 4,000 brown bears roam the undisturbed wilderness of Katmai National Park, and the Alaskan born and bred guides of Bald Mountain Air go back to the same destinations each year. In June, bear watching focuses on the tidal rivers of the Park where bears congregate to breed and feed on the sea grasses that sprout in Spring. In July, the famous Brooks River Falls in the middle of Katmai offers a view of bears lining up to catch the red salmon as they're jumping over the falls. In August, Bald Mountain Air travels further south to watch bears feeding on pink and chum salmon at the river's mouth.
Before heading off, passengers are given a lesson in bear safety. "Because we're in a group, the bears will smell us before we see them," says Gary. "We always let the bears know we are there and give them plenty of personal space." The group remembers this advice as the two bear cubs move even closer to the group. In the distance the group spies more bears wandering along the riverbank. Binoculars and more accustomed eyes poke in all directions. Bears everywhere are grazing the plentiful grasses that provide important nutrition after winter hibernation. The guide explains that being late June, the group is witnessing the last of the grazing before the salmon start their hazardous river journey upstream. The group watches as big males stalk and fight for mates. "Contrary to popular opinion, bears don't growl," Gary explains. "Rather they make a series of subtle body movements that determine social structure."
As the group wanders further up the bank to better watch the bears on the tidal floodplain below, they see the footprints of a large wolf that has been walking their way in the not too distant past. Eager eyes scan the horizon hoping to catch a glimpse of the wolf's rarely sighted silver coat. Instead they spot the golden tail of a fox pushing up at right angles as it jumps onto a small vole and rushes off with it in its mouth. Seated once again, someone in the group notices an object moving with speed in the distance, and even the guides are surprised to identify a wolverine weaving its way with purpose along the riverbank. Five hours later, the group has seen at least 20 bears. Led by the guides, the group again dons the thigh high rubber boots supplied by Bald Mountain Air and begins to wade back to the seaplanes. They are startled when two big brown bears meander along the stream less than 10 metres away, their big black noses dominant amongst their chocolate brown hair. The female appears to reject the male's advances and turns and sits down in the grass. She stares into human eyes and down camera lenses with apparent similar distain. Too soon it is time to leave, and the guides assist the quietly dazed group to clamber with awkward clumsiness back on to the planes. For information about Bald Mountain Air bear photography trips: http://www.ptialaska.net/~baldmt © Jenni Metcalfe 2003 |
Two
golden brown bears wander casually around the corner of the rocky glaciated
river to munch at the grey green thin grass. They seem to offer only bored even
insolent glances at the chorus of gasping people seated slightly up the
riverbank. The Bald Mountain Air guides smile indulgently. After 10 years of
bringing travellers to see bears close up in the wilderness of Katmai National
Park, they still derive satisfaction from the absolute delight (or perhaps
fright) of their visitors.
