Sow and Her Cubs

Did you hear that a man and a woman hiking in Yellowstone were attacked by a female grizzly bear. The man was killed and the woman was picked up by her backpack but let go when other hikers heard her screams and came to her rescue. The couple had surprised the family group while hiking the trail and had come between the sow and her cubs.

A sow is very protective of her cubs. They don't take them near the falls as all the dominant males fish there. Male bears are known to attack cubs. Sometimes for food but more often to save resources for their own cubs. If a sow even smells a male she and the cubs are off like a shot. They get very protective here at Katmai when photographs get too close to the cubs.

On the day that the man died in Yellowstone by a sow I was having a totally different experience with a sow and three young spring cubs. I had just started my shift as bear monitor when I got a report that the sow and cubs were trying to enter camp by way of the overlook. The overlook is on the top of a hill that overlooks the Brooks River. Four feet away from the overlook are the riverview cabins. I had just got to the overlook when the 402, the sows number, and her cubs started to climb the hill. Normally for a single bear we clap our hands and make noice to discourage a bear from coming up the overlook. When it comes to a sow and cubs we try to just wave our hands and discourage her from bringing her family up the hill.

That is what I was doing. I stood at the top of the hill waving and talking to 402. She however had very definate plans. She climbed to the top. I moved back between two cabins and yelled to people in the cabins to stay inside. I watched as 402 looked at me then layed down and let her three cubs start to nurse. I watched from 35 yards as the cubs had breakfast and mom just relaxed in the morning sun. I would have left them alone but whenever 402 two and her cubs showed up photographers followed and it was safer for me to be closer to them to protect them then it would have been for the photographers.

Thirty some minutes went by as I watched the family. I kept telling people in their cabins to go back in until it was safe. I kept people from trying to sneak around for a better shot and I kept contact on the radio with other rangers trying to direct traffic away from the family. When the cubs finished nursing mom stood up and looked around then headed back down the hill. I stood there amazed that I was had been so close to this family and the sow let me be there. It is an experience that I will not forget and probably will never experience anywhere else. Katmai really is a very special place.