The beast is awake.
Grizzly bears are one of the most known animals in the world and one of the fiercest to roam North America.
Just massive animals, adult males can weigh up to 600 pounds and standing over 7 feet tall. Grizzly bears have a distinctive hump on their back, which is made up of muscle mass and helps to support their massive frame.
In the fall, grizzly bears will begin to eat large amounts of food, such as berries and salmon, to build up their fat reserves for the winter. As the days get shorter and colder, grizzly bears will find a suitable den and begin their hibernation.
During hibernation, grizzly bears will slow their metabolism and heart rate and their body temperature will drop. They will not eat, drink, or defecate during this time, which can last for several months.
Although a lot is known about the grizzlies hibernation cycle it is rarely seen, especially the moment the come out of it.
This park in British Columbia captured just that. Their grizzly, Boo, is seen digging his way out of the deep snow breaking into the sunlight for the first time in months.
The grizzly pokes his head out and eventually gets his massive body out. The big boy definitely seems like he is still half asleep.
But, after cutting a snooze like that, how could you not be?
“Boo has finally joined us for the new year! We were extremely fortunate to capture Boo’s 20th emergence from his den.
We ask that all guests please stay quiet when going over the enclosure in the gondola and when skiing by the Bear Refuge on Lower Wiley Coyote. Boo is currently transitioning from his dormant state to a phase we affectionately call “walking hibernation” – where his body is reversing the dormancy process.
We are doing our best to keep things calm and quiet to give Boo what he needs to comfortably transition into his normal state.”
Nature is amazing.
And when they wake up, they’re hungry…
Hungry Brown Bear Kills 38 Reindeer And 18 Moose After Waking Up From Hibernation
Woke up feeling dangerous…
According to Live Science, a “highly predatory” brown bear woke up from hibernation, and his first mission?
Kill 38 reindeer.
The 13-year-old female brown bear killed 38 reindeer calves in only a month, then 18 young moose the next month in northern Sweden.
The bear was one of 15 bears examined by researchers in an effort to better understand how they use their landscape.
They discovered that the bears change habitats to target reindeer and moose calves in the springtime, with some bears, like the 13-year-old female, killing more than others.
Study co-author Uzal Fernandez, a senior lecturer in wildlife conservation at Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom, weighed in on why some bears are more predatory than others:
“It must be a combination of different factors… such as innate behavior related to personality (for instance, some people are more aggressive than others).”
Bears aren’t nearly as effective hunting larger adult prey, so they prey on the weaker, younger, and more vulnerable animals. They focus on hunting calves until July, and then rely on berries for food until hibernation season.
Fernandez continued:
“Our study shows differences between individual bears’ predatory behavior and how this helps to explain individual variation in their habitat selection.
Differences among individuals are also important from a management perspective; for instance, mere predator removal, without targeting specific individuals, may not necessarily reduce conflict.”
Although there have been a number of brown bears that are way more predatory than others, the study says that they are not anymore of a threat to humans.
Damn… mama bear on a rampage.
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Curious Brown Bear Approaches Fly Fishermen
Wow, that was a close one.
This bear was just telling them to get out of his fishing hole. That’s how you know it’s a good one in Alaska.
Grizzly bears also known as brown bears on the Alaskan coast are the largest land predators in Alaska. Male bears, called boars, in Alaska can weigh up to 1,200 pounds, and females can weigh up to 600 pounds.
In Alaska, grizzly bears are known to go near rivers and streams during the salmon runs. Salmon is a great food source for these massive animals and provides the calories, fat, and protein they need.
This can sometimes bring them into contact with fishermen who are casting their lines in the same areas. While most interactions between grizzly bears and fishermen work out in the end, they are still a serious encounter.
For the most part, all bears are generally shy and will avoid people if possible. However, they can become aggressive if they feel threatened or if they are protecting their cubs. They will protect their food and territory by charging at you.
These fishermen were enjoying a day on the river when an Alaskan grizzly came to pay them a visit on the shoreline.
The fisherman notices the bear and immediately go to their bear aware training. They make lots of noise and pull out bear spray as the bear moves in closer.
This bear seems as though it’s coming straight for them, while the men back up and continue to yell and be ready.
Eventually, the bear has enough of the noise and decides to head out. The men move away from the area as they process what just happened.
That is as much of a scare as you can get without a straight-up charge… Alaska is one wild place.
Grizzly Bear Charges Across Alaskan River Looking For A Fish
A fisherman’s nightmare.
Any fisherman who’s had a good day fishing out in grizzly country has them in the back of their minds. I mean, it’s hard not to when you’ve spent the day wrestling slimy and smelly fish, getting coated in a smell that draws those massive animals right in.
It’s a frightening thought, that you’re coating of fish juices can make you dinner instead of your fish.
Grizzlies are a massive animal that require a lot of food daily. Especially in more northern areas they need even more fat to get through the harsher winters.
And then throw in the fact that these fisherman are in their kitchen, in areas where they feed… they’re bound to get incredibly territorial.
This video shows a large grizz quickly making its way across a river and charging towards a large group of fishermen as they scatter quickly.
As the bear approaches one of them, who sounds like he’s perhaps the fishing guide says:
“With all of us here, he can’t do much…”
Umm, he definitely could…
He stands his grounds and begins screaming and throwing rocks at it, however, when the rest of the group panicked and started to run… that could’ve made things much worse.
Thankfully, the bear disregards much of the noise and the panic and just comes in to get what he wanted the whole time… a fish.
The fishermen are all definitely shook up though, but then again, how could a you not be if you’re not used to seeing a grizzly bear coming run into your fishing spot?
Enjoy that flight back to California, boys…
Yellowstone Grizzly Bear Joins Wolf Pack On Elk Hunt
Work smarter, not harder.
In the wild, it’s first come first serve, survival of the fittest, only the strong survive, and most critters will go to extreme lengths to make sure they get fed.
But… even in the wild, there’s such as thing as freeloaders, and I’m not talking about scavengers.
One particular grizzly bear at Yellowstone National Park came up with a genius idea to follow along a wolf pack in search of its prey. And no, the grizzly was not there to make friends.
According to The Hill, this grizzly was following the Junction Butte wolf pack as they were in the midst of an elk hunt back in October of 2021. The wolves tracked down an elk, and when they captured it, the grizzly made sure it wasn’t gonna leave hungry.
It jumped in and stole the carcass, taking home a nice meal.
This “rare phenomenon” is known as kleptoparasitism, which is where one animal steals the resources of another animal/pack of animals.
The National Park Service (NPS) weighed in on the rare occurrence:
“This bear seems to have figured out that following the wolves in the morning will increase its chances of encountering a high-calorie meal.”
The NPS also said that wolves will typically yield for bears, because it puts their own safety at risk, knowing that they don’t stand much of a chance against the much larger creatures, and they simply wait their turn.
According to the NPS, it’s a rare occurrence because following a wolf pack around takes a lot of energy for the bear, but can be very rewarding, as an elk carcass is high in protein and fat, which is pivotal for hibernation.
“On the morning of October 21, 2021 visitors watching wildlife in Yellowstone’s northern range were amazed when they saw an adult grizzly bear seemingly hunting elk with the Junction Butte wolf pack. Wolves and bears typically compete with one another for prey, so why might this be happening?
Typically, wolves will yield to incoming bears. Since hunting is dangerous and often unsuccessful, it’s better for wolves to wait their turn at a carcass that has been usurped by a bear than it is for them to continue hunting.
From the bear’s perspective, it takes a lot of energy to follow a wolf pack around, but the reward is high if it successfully takes over a carcass. A fresh elk carcass is a wonderful source of fat and protein for a grizzly bear preparing for hibernation.
This bear seems to have figured out that following the wolves in the morning will increase its chances of encountering a high-calorie meal.”
Ever work on a group project where one dumbass doesn’t do any of the work, but still gets a good grade? This is nature’s version of that…
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And speaking of Yellowstone, be sure to check out our Yellowstone The Soundtrack Playlist, featuring every song from every episode, all the way through Season 5.
