TAKE A STAND

It was close to 10pm in the sedge grass meadow and the final soft low rays of sun beautifully back lighting the scene before disappearing behind the snow capped mountains. They call her 'Long Nose' and this year she has two spring cubs both still showing their natal collars. Tragically, she lost her first cubs last year (2024) and maybe she learnt a hard lesson from that trajedy. She was hyper vigilant, stayed close to her cubs, fiercely protective and so often stood for a better view of any bears she smelt on the wind with her cubs always looking up to her. But sadly the real threat to their future and other wildlife, is the habitat destruction of their mountain denning areas, wetland areas, salmon river courses and coastal ecosystems for beluga whales nearby, due to a renewed programme of metal mining exploration and production within Lake Clark National Park, one of the last great wilderness areas on earth.

Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Alaska, USA