Bear Country

Canadian
Rockies

Bear Country

Here is a sign that if you pay attention is informative – and if you don’t is dangerous.

We were looking for a place to pull over and have lunch when we saw a bunch of cars pulled off the side of the road. It was a black bear, lazily munching on some grasses. It was an exciting moment for both of us. Both of these photos were taken with a 300 mm lens, from inside the car, using the driver’s window, half rolled down, as a tripod.

Canada takes the protection of these animals seriously. Firearms must be disassembled in Banff and Jasper National Parks. Bear paws are worth $1,500 in the Orient. As a deterrent, poachers caught with bear paws in the National Parks are fined $150,000 plus being subject to jail.

After we had lunch, we again headed north towards Jasper. Another few miles up the road, there were another bunch of cars pulled over, with people pointing up the side of the mountain. It was another bear, although he was quite far away. This photo is hand held with a 300 mm lens. (Not a good idea.) We aren’t sure if it’s a brown bear or a grizzly. Grizzlies have a hump on their neck, but this one is behind the branch. One of the locals in Jasper said a grizzly is known to be in this area - but nonetheless, it was a bear.