Bear Family on Alert

I sensed the adult male bear approaching from behind. The serene atmosphere became tense, as it walked within fifty feet of the mama bear and her two spring cubs. My heart stopped beating and I swallowed hard at the worrying scene. I expected the mama bear and cubs to run, but they held their ground. I studied the female’s body language and that of the cubs, too. Her tense jaw twitched and she exposed a set of healthy canines. The two cubs stood a short distance from their mother, huddling defensively close. Fortunately, the male bear lost interest and retreated into the forest. Mama bear and cubs watched him go; then returned to life as it was before the intrusion.

Coastal Brown Bear, Katmai National Park, Alaska, 2014

Canon 1DX, Canon 600mm F4, Canon 1.4x III Telconverter, f/5.6, 1/1000s, ISO 800, handheld