Thoughtful bears
Where would I be now if not in a refuge?
Or maybe just itchy?
At a refuge this summer in British Columbia I shot pictures of two 800 pound grizzly bears. They were orphaned as cubs in 2001. Yes there was an electric fence! It afforded me an opportunity to observe them in a more natural and spacious setting than a zoo and sat for a long time watching them. As with all kinds of animals and wildlife I like to try and see what we share with them; how they are similar or different to us. What kinds of emotions do they have; if they are perceptive, feel empathy, understand the lapsing of time or have the ability to predict outcomes, if they have hopes or regrets. These photos pretty much capture what I believe about them. I'm just glad they don't know that the majority of orphaned grizzly cubs are euthanized.