A Day With Vancouver Island Black Bears…
There are great joys living a rural British Columbia culture: “no traffic lights” and an easy ability “to get out there” in unpopulated natural rainforest & river habitats…. Awesome adventure in wonderful diverse ecosystems in remote wilderness valleys and mountain areas… Canadian life is connected to the forests, rivers, lakes… amazing topography, plains, and ocean coastal areas, full of spectacular enjoyment in the offerings of mother nature. This is our way, our culture…. I recall decades of outdoor life full of camping, fishing, deer & moose adventures, and bountiful berry & mushroom harvests. We love British Columbia’s untamed lands and the many pleasures it affords… especially watching the wonderful wildlife therein.
The beauty of a sunny warm afternoon was motivating to get out there again… to observe Black Bears as they feed on returning Pacific Salmon. So Christine, Rosie and I hopped in our truck and drove a short distance to a splendid location we’d often visit, where bears and other usually solitary animals congregated to feed together unperturbed… We chose a discreet hidden spot off the trail having low bush natural Salal camouflage, to sit patiently awaiting for bears to arrive to this choice salmon pool…. for their evening meal.
While Grizzly Bears have occasionally visited this river system (and a few have taken up resident in remote areas of North Vancouver Island,) this is overwhelmingly Black Bear territory. The island even has its own unique species: Ursus americanus vancouveri.
There are an estimated 7000 to 8000 of these intelligent and curious black beauties on Vancouver Island, one of the highest “density ” of Blacks in British Columbia.
Black Bears have Excellent hearing and can hear a human voice over 300 meters away
It was perfect North Vancouver Island weather for wildlife viewing… the kind of day memories are built on… The wind was in our favour and a warming sun hung low to our backs inching towards a sunset horizon… a few hours of daylight remained as we sat motionless on the river’s edge; hopeful a bear would arrive before dark to feed.
Ursus americanus vancouveri is a well proportioned muscular bear, moreover black in colour that live in the wilds about 25 years. They have a more robust muscular body than the six other mainland British Columbia subspecies. Very athletic, they climb trees effortlessly, and sprint 55 kph. A mature Vancouver Island bear may stand 2.13 meters tall (7 feet) and weigh between 180 kgs to 275 kgs or more (400-600 lbs) of shear power.
The bears in this article show typical healthy thick fur, glossy appearance, and awesome muscle definition in their legs and shoulders! A large brute can roll a 100 kg boulder using one shoulder and paw with ease…. searching crayfish or other tasty morsel seeking refuge underneath.
Black Bear jaws and have bone crushing bite force of 800 psi augmented by 6 cm teeth!
These usually very solitary animals invoke all sorts of heart racing notions, excitement, fear & curiosity…. and a popular misconception is that they have poor eyesight. However, bears actually have excellent vision day and night, and see in colour! I have no idea how scientists figure that out. They also have a strong sense of smell and in favourable conditions can pick up a scent kilometres away! An amazing capacity thought to be seven times better than a bloodhound! Simply amazing!
The months of June & July are the Black Bear mating season, however, the embryo doesn’t implant in the uterus until between October and November. This is called delayed implantation. The embryo only begins to develop when it is implanted and cubs are born in January or February in winter dens. Females can have 1-4 cubs, but twins are most common. Babies, or cubs weigh less than .45 kilos, hairless and blind. Cubs nurse while mum continues to hibernate, and emerge from the den in the spring weighing about 4.5 kilos…. Ten times their birth weight!
A Black Bear strongest sense is smell. They can pick up a scent kilometres away in the right conditions. Bears in general are thought to have the keenest sense of smell in the animal kingdom. Estimates of actual range vary widely
When a sow is ready to mate she will drive her cubs away…. An event usually about a year and a half after birth.
While only a few documented bear attacks have occurred on Vancouver Island, sound bear etiquette is wise. When out-and-about we always keep a fair distance when bear watching; hidden from their sight if only to protect these magnificent omnivores from becoming habituated to human presence! Frequent repeated exposure to people may cause a bear to lose its natural wary behaviour, and thereafter likely to enter a campground or townsite resulting in the this symbolic creature’s needless destruction.
Black Bears are wild animals, king of their domain, curious to a fault and careless human interference in their natural activities can have unpredictable consequences. As such we always hide in a discreet camouflaged location when bear watching, and carry Bear Spray during our photo wildlife hunts no matter where we are in British Columbia. Grizzly bear attacks are documented as the prime danger to humans (between 2010 to 2021). During that period 104 grizzly bear, 66 black bear and 86 wolf interactions are reported to have occurred across the province (stats derived from Business Insurance Sportingpedia Report).
Normally, bears consume 5,000 calories a day, but in the fall salmon migration their gorging could jumps to 20,000 calories per day. Bears can gain up to 1-1/2 times their summer weight in the fall.
While I am very skeptical of any wolf interaction being dangerous, common sense dictates we should always respect the personal space of all wildlife. Personally I am more concerned about a grizzly with cubs… or an aggressive heavy antlered moose, and have a respectful and fearful impression of a large bull moose in full rut charging out of dense thickets in answer to my call. He let out a fearful snort as he ran forward with full intention of doing me harm.
Contrary to popular notions, Black Bears have excellent day and night vision!
Our wait was short and pleasant, the surrounding paradise was alive with forest and water sounds… eagles, kingfishers, ravens, and much more caught our attention as we waited on Black Bears to show up. A cooling breeze brushed the river’s surface then curling up it rustled the golden cottonwood leaves above us. It kept mosquitoes and horrible no-see-ums away, whose bites could distract from our enjoyment. The air carried an earthy autumn scent, a pleasing mixture of ripening berries, maturing leaves, lichen & moss… and the aroma of fish, a musky fragrance sending a signal throughout the valley that Pacific Salmon had once again returned, alerting the bears incredible sense of smell to a rich riverside harvest.
September is a time of plenty for bears, eagles, and other carnivores, who annually travel great distances to spawning locations in anticipation of endless hours of feasting; a vital salmon buffet on which black and grizzly bears being true hibernators depend on to build fat stores necessary to survive the rigours of an approaching winter…. Vancouver Island bears typically hibernate about five or so months of the year November through to April. While all female bears or “sows” hibernate some males or “boars” may not if food and weather is good. Interesting eh!
A huge bear suddenly appeared at the edge of emerald pool that lay before us, the surface mirroring the lush green surroundings. He walked along a cluster of irregular shaped boulders, stood for a moment, his head slowly turning from side to side, piercing brown eyes intensely surveying his domain before boldly entering the pool…. Scattering dozens of spawning salmon milling above a gravel bottom. The salmon were here in mass looking for just the right spot to deposit precious eggs… The bears were here looking salmon to eat… some of the spawners would be snatched up by a swift agile paw or jaw.
It was an awesome afternoon & evening full of amazing Black Bears as Coho, Spring, and Pink Salmon jumped here-and-there, creating sparkling jewels of water in the afternoon sun. We sat mesmerized and energized recalling our many years of good fortune seeking out these magnificent and adaptable omnivores, observing the totality of nature as the bears frolicked and ate in natural habitat.
Black Bears are Omnivores that eat both Plant Life and Animal Flesh
We silently stole away from our hidden vantage point, leaving the bears at peace to enjoy feeding in solitude. Our efforts graciously rewarded with an amazing memory filled evening watching Black Bears feed naturally. God and nature willing, there will be many more outdoor connections with the fabulous Wild Kingdom.
Safe travels
Gord
Gordon F. W. Patterson
Photos © Christine Patterson