A pair of young spring grizzlies look for fish in the Chilkoot River. The cubs are allowed to relax on a log while their mother fishes for salmon dinner. The young cubs will learn all of their life skills from watching their mother.
The grizzlies look for fish as a way to hone their eyes and their noses, key hunting tools. The salmon run of early summer occurs too early for spring cub grizzlies to look for fish. The next summer, as yearling cubs, the grizzlies look for fish, and start to learn hunting. By their third summer, grizzlies can catch and eat as much fish as they need to survive the winter.
Grizzly bears are skilled hunters, and will continue honing their skills throughout their adult lives, which can last for up to 30 years.
Photograph taken in Haines, Alaska.
Stock Image #20100921-131605