Grizzly Bears of the Khutzeymateen

bradpowellphotobradpowellphoto Registered Users Posts: 378 Major grins
edited August 2, 2010 in Wildlife
This year I got to go on a bit of lifelong dream trip. I took a 4 day guided tour into the Khutzeymateen Grizzly bear Sanctuary. It is a 45,000 hectare area set aside for the Grizzlies on the North Coast of British Columbia. I took my trip with Dan Wakeman of Sun Chaser Eco-Tours. Dan is a biologist and is one of the people responsible for this valley being designated as a protected area for the Grizzlies and every day in the sanctuary was like being in school, I learnt so much about these magnificent animals. We stayed on Dan's sailboat for the 4 days and spent each day in the Zodiac travelling through the estuary searching for bears. Here are some of my images and of course there are more on my site.

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“Look, I'm not an intellectual - I just take pictures.” Helmut Newton

My Vancouver Island Photography Website http://bradpowellphoto.com
My Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/bradpowellphoto

Comments

  • LindiweLindiwe Registered Users Posts: 606 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2010
    Wow! Love the first shot in particular. What an amazing opportunity.
  • IraRunyanIraRunyan Registered Users Posts: 1,013 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2010
    That first shot is an outstanding capture. 300mm - That seems to be a little too close to that bear.........
    My Photo Gallery
    http://ira-runyan.artistwebsites.com/index.html

    Florida Wildlife & Nature Photography
  • Ric GrupeRic Grupe Registered Users Posts: 9,522 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2010
    IraRunyan wrote: »
    That seems to be a little too close to that bear.........

    As evidenced in the photo, this bear is a vegetarian! rolleyes1.gif

    Great shots! thumb.gif
  • IraRunyanIraRunyan Registered Users Posts: 1,013 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2010
    Ric Grupe wrote: »
    As evidenced in the photo, this bear is a vegetarian! rolleyes1.gif

    Great shots! thumb.gif

    At least on that day he was a vegetarian.... wings.gif
    My Photo Gallery
    http://ira-runyan.artistwebsites.com/index.html

    Florida Wildlife & Nature Photography
  • redleashredleash Registered Users Posts: 3,840 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2010
    What a terrific opportunity you had, both for the travel and the photography! I like all of these, but my favorite is #1 with #2 a close runnerup. I love the pose in #2, but the emotion and the detail in the first one is stunning!
    "But ask the animals, and they will teach you." (Job 12:7)

    Lauren Blackwell
    www.redleashphoto.com
  • bradpowellphotobradpowellphoto Registered Users Posts: 378 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2010
    A vegetarian....with options...
    IraRunyan wrote: »
    At least on that day he was a vegetarian.... wings.gif

    For all of the 4 days the bears were oblivious to us. Dan explained that they have grown up in this safe environment and do not see man as a threat...unlike areas where hunting is allowed. But there was one memorable exception. On one morning Dan pushed the Zodiac up onto the beach in front of a grizzly they have named "Dimple" because of a mark on her forehead. Dan told us in advance that "Dimple" would feed in front of us for app. 5 minutes and then would let us know that she had had enough of us being in her space. Sure enough, after 5 minutes of feeding sedately on sedge grass and basically ignoring us while we were frantically snapping shots from the boat, "Dimple" suddenly looked up and directly at us and then came straight down to the beach at us at a good pace. By then Dan had already pulled the boat back out into the water to a safe distance and we took more pictures as she sniffed the shore where the boat had been and then proceeded to take a bath in front of us. Dan said this was her way of telling us it was her beach.

    Picture No. 4 is of "Dimple" striding purposefully towards us as we back out into the water.

    Let me tell you that got our hearts pounding a little!
    “Look, I'm not an intellectual - I just take pictures.” Helmut Newton

    My Vancouver Island Photography Website http://bradpowellphoto.com
    My Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/bradpowellphoto
  • ThwackThwack Registered Users Posts: 487 Major grins
    edited July 30, 2010
    Great shots! Love #1 and the pose in #2. #4 would definitely get the adrenaline pumping after reading the details on that shot!
  • Mark EdellMark Edell Registered Users Posts: 672 Major grins
    edited July 30, 2010
    Outstanding! I like #2 best.
    www.markedell.com
  • Nikonic1Nikonic1 Registered Users Posts: 684 Major grins
    edited July 30, 2010
    The focus and DOF in #2 is fantastic. Great series!
    Matt :thumb
    http://nikonic1.smugmug.com/
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited July 30, 2010
    Great stuff!! My favorite is #2.

    When I win that darn lottery, this will be on my list.

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited July 30, 2010
    Very lovely images!!

    I am not sure that being in a safe environment for the bears guarantees that the bears will always reciprocate for humans in their environment.

    I assume you are familiar with the recent death by a bear in Yellowstone.
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • JillLangJillLang Registered Users Posts: 42 Big grins
    edited July 31, 2010
    Nice job! Sounds like great fun. I'd love to be able to get shots of a bear like this!
    Jill

    My SmugMug Site

    My African Grey Video
  • AndyCapAndyCap Registered Users Posts: 5 Beginner grinner
    edited August 1, 2010
    This is why photography is so attractive. Thanks for sharing the experience with us. Great shots, and +1 on #2. Great pose and DoF.
  • bradpowellphotobradpowellphoto Registered Users Posts: 378 Major grins
    edited August 2, 2010
    pathfinder wrote: »
    Very lovely images!!

    I am not sure that being in a safe environment for the bears guarantees that the bears will always reciprocate for humans in their environment.

    I assume you are familiar with the recent death by a bear in Yellowstone.

    It was easy to get lulled into a false sense of security watching these bears at this time of the year. In the early Summer they are feeding mainly on the sedge grass for its protein (up to 80lbs a day) and its almost like watching big fuzzy cute cows. But every once in a while something would make them move at the speeds they are really capable of as a top of the food chain predator and you would be instantly reminded of what they are capable of.

    Thanks to everyone for the kind comments!
    “Look, I'm not an intellectual - I just take pictures.” Helmut Newton

    My Vancouver Island Photography Website http://bradpowellphoto.com
    My Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/bradpowellphoto
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