Biscuit's Neck Hair Left on the Tundra





Maureen Looking for a Photograph





Charlie Want to Play

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We had been anxious to spend time with Brandy since our arrival but were excitedly distracted by Biscuit's breeding. Charlie had to go up to Petropavlovsk for 4 days to get his airplane and I was here alone. I was hoping to spend some time with Brandy, Lemon and Lime if I could find them but no luck. On one stroll I wandered to a site where I knew Biscuit was hanging out with the big male grizzly. I wasn't sure if he had bred her but finding this pile of hair on the tundra more or less proved it. I couldn't believe the amount of hair that he pulled out during that breeding as he held her by the fur of her neck. When she wandered by the cabin, the next day, there were puncture marks in her skin now easily revealed by the lack of hair. I guessed this was the last breeding and she wasn't as keen on the idea as she had been with the younger silver-tip bear. We have heard and seen older females roar and chase males off when breeding is unwanted. Sure enough, by the next day she was on her own again a little worse for wear, tired and hungry. Privately, I was kind of pleased to see her bred by both bears - one, the younger and better looking and two, the old timer of the area with genes for survival. Likely she will have a cub by each male.

I spotted Brandy with Lemon and Lime Sunday night. Charlie had flown in late having had encountered a strong head wind on the way down that caused him to wait at Kurilskoye Lake for calmer air. He was carrying all our fresh food and described the bumps so great that the eggs flew up to the ceiling of the plane, narrowly missing his face. A few tomatoes also joined the eggs. The scene I imagined did little to engage my sympathy, but I did turn away to giggle.

We hiked over to Ittleman Bay the next morning to find Brandy with Lemon and Lime at the edge of the big snowdrift. The cubs ran up hill as fast as possible when they sited us. "Oh No", was this to be a repeat of last year when they ran on site of us for the first month? Shortly they stopped running and looked at us as if to say how foolish they felt thinking we were something big and dangerous. We left them on their own to think this over and returned the next day.

On our second visit, they moved in our direction as soon as they spotted us. Encouraged we talked to the trio and went over for a closer time with them. Brandy was totally calm. Lemon and Lime walked by as they grazed on Globeflower Leaves and blossoms, looking out of the corner of their eyes at us in passing. I love the way bears pretend not to be looking closely at someone (or some bear). Having passed inspection they decided to come closer, this time facing us squarely. Charlie thought that if he indicated that he wanted to play they might do the same. They were amazed to see him on his back with his feet in the air. They circled him with eyes bugged out but did not join in. Leaving Charlie, they walked over for a close look at my toes, which made me a bit uncomfortable wondering what Brandy might think of that. She started to cast anxious looks in my direction so I moved away from her family.

Later down along the beach, we were strung out in a line with Brandy leading, followed by Lemon and then Lime. Lime stopped and Charlie walked past, thereby coming in between Lime and his sister and Mother. Lime huffed a bit which attracted Brandy's attention instantly. She ran back to the rescue. Charlie stepped back three steps allowing her space to run by on the narrow track. Almost touching Charlie she reached Lime, sniffed him over and continued down the beach in the direction she was heading with both cubs close at her heals. We left it at that for the day and headed home.

- Maureen