The Loss of a Spring Cub at Katmai

I am back at Brooks Camp and there is a story that is part of the natural process in the wilderness but is still sad to hear. A female sow, number 402, arrived at Brooks Camp with three adorable little cubs, born this Spring. She, like all the bears that visit Brooks Camp are there for the fish. Bears need to feed and gain about 30% of their weight to survive the winter. Salmon running up stream contain a high number of calories, 4,000 calories per salmon, of which, a bear can eat up to 20 salmon a day. 402, before the cubs were born was quite a good fisherbear.

She took her cubs up to the falls on the river. This is where the bears can catch salmon without putting forth unnecessary energy. She had the three little ones on the side of the river and she was sitting on the edge watching for fish. The falls have a large number of dominant males. 856 is one of the biggest males at the falls. Now, I was not there when all this occured so my story is second hand. What happened next is that 856 started to move towards the shore where the cubs were. 402 started showing signs of stress. 856 kept moving closer. 402 could stand no more and rushed to attack 856.

She ran over jumped at 856. Her claws went around his neck. He stood up and with open jaws went for 402's neck. With his paws he grabbed 402 and flipped her over and dropped her to the ground and held her under the water. 402 struggled and fought to get back up. Meanwhile on the shore the cubs scattered. 856 released the sow and moved towards the shore in search of the cubs. 402 ran to try to block the huge male. She managed to get two of the cubs behind her. People who witnessed the account say the 856 was determined to get a cub.

The third cub was crying out for help and running back and forth but could not reach its mother. 402 tried to protect the little ones with her and still try to stop 856. But unfortunately, 856 found the third cub. He chased it into the woods where they were out of sight from the people who were watching the brutal scene. Then everyone who was there heard the little cubs death cries. It was said that the cry sounded like that of a human child.

856 appeared back at the falls. No one knows if he ate the cub or just killed it. Right now it is too dangerous for us biologists to go and investigate the carcass. What we do know is that 402 now has only two cubs. The reasons that male bears attack cubs is still unknown. It could be for a number of reasons including for food but it is more likely that they are saving valuable resources for their own offspring. This is the thought of many bear biologists. The death of the cub is sad but that is just part of life of being a bear.