Aisha Tukur
Grizzlies are occasionally spotted on Vancouver Island, but one nature photographer has captured an even rarer sight — a sow and her cubs. Experts say seeing grizzlies in the area this young isn’t common, and as Travis Prasad reports, an increased grizzly population could be good news for the island’s eco-system –
A wildlife photographer says she has spotted grizzly bears on Vancouver Island for the first time.
Catherine Babault, who owns Catherine Babault Photography, said she first spotted a sow and two cubs in July.
“This is a very rare sighting,” she said. “I am a professional wildlife photographer from Vancouver Island. I give photo tours and workshops all year round. Also, I just released my third photo book, so I spent a lot of time in the field, photography, nature, and particularly wildlife and big mammals. I really like bears, obviously. And so I knew about the grizzly bears in that area in particular, and that’s why I went there a few times.”
When Babault went back a few weeks later, she saw them near a herd of elk and thought she’d better film it.
“I didn’t know what to expect,”
“I was worried a little bit for the Roosevelt elk, but they showed a lot of … strength. They were also a herd, so they were big numbers. And they started to chase the grizzly bears, which was very, very unusual. And, I’m glad that it didn’t end up, the other way around.”
She knows there have been a few grizzly bear sightings on the Island but this is the first time she’s that she knows of, of a mother and her cubs being spotted.
“I think it will have an impact on recreational activities, because now people camping and fishing and hunting, might see grizzly bears,” Babault added.
“We are used to seeing black bears, but now we’ll have to get used to seeing more grizzly bears. And, there is also an impact on the ecosystem. So other species will have to adapt like black bears, Roosevelt elk.”
Nicholas Scapillati, executive director of the Grizzly Bear Foundation said this sighting is really exciting.
“They are curious, adventurous creatures,” he said. “And to see them on Vancouver Island, especially with cubs of the year, means that they’re starting to actually establish themselves on the island.”
Scapillati said mostly young male grizzlies are known to swim and island hop but it looks like the mama bear made the trek this time.
“That’s probably what this mama did, and then probably met a male over there on the island – an island boy – and then, had a couple of cubs,” he added. “It’s pretty exciting.”
Scapillati said the cubs must have been born on Vancouver Island because they would have been too small to swim across.
