Inquisitive bear
by Stephen Kaluski
This was a young guy, almost pristine white with little or no colouring, as often they will have what appears to be 'yellow' patches in their coats. The fur is made up of hollow quills, their skin black like the tongue, but he would still eat you without hesitation. As the sun came from the RHS it was nice to have a slight head turn to get some light on the eye, but just enough not to blow the whites. The question was, is he coming to check us out, or for something else...? Shot through one of the bow line portals.
Thanks to those who posted or viewed the previous thread.
Steve
Subject: Young Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) on pack ice
Location: Svalbard
Camera: Canon 1DX MKI
Lens: 200-400f/4 HH
Exposure: 1/2500s at f/8 ISO640
Original format: Landscape, slight crop from top, almost FF width
Processed via: LRCC & PSCC2017
Comments
14 commentsLove the pose and lifted front paw certainly adds up to the wonderful image.
Jagdeep Rajput
I,ve looked at this a few times and with the light on that back rear leg makes it looks odd to me. The shadow on the front leg is causing the problem..
I,ve not seen one in the wild and never will - but there we are.
I am critiquing the pic and the picture, not the animal or place etc,etc.or boat specifications.
JR
LOL, that's hysterical John, are you implying that these animals are fed when boats or Tundra buggy's find them? Please could you provide links to verify & substantiate this comment, as I really would, like so many others who have encountered these subjects many times, be interested to read these inaccurate facts. You clear do not understand not only about these animals John, but also how well governed these encounters are.
I,ve not seen one in the wild and never will - but there we are.
It's such a shame John you are unable to visit locations like this, as you would then really understand so much more. We do have some places left on a South African trip next year we are running where you would be most welcome and where you could fill your boots with both Avian & Wildlife subjects and it would make a nice change for you I'm sure, plus shooting in some diverse habitat too.
Sadly Lon not even I can control shadows
I agree with the previous folks who've commented on this image that the whites look quite well controlled on this shot - well done on that. From a compositional perspective the image is perhaps a little too centred for my taste (I'd prefer slightly less room on the right and slightly more on the left), but that's definitely a "personal preference" issue.
RE: John's comment about the bear probably coming for something to eat. You know, I think his comment is quite understandable and probably shared by many in the general public given the amount of baiting that is done by professional photographers and tour operators. I'm referring to situations like the brown bears in Finland (food supplementation for the purposes of photography) and many who advertise tours of flight shots of owls (often utilizing baiting with live mice). It DOES happen, and all too commonly. MANY clients coming on my photo tours have commented on other tours they've been on where food supplementation is simply commonplace.
One thing you say that I think needs a bit of push-back to fight another myth. You say: "The fur is made up of hollow quills, their skin black like the tongue, but he would still eat you without hesitation." (italics mine).
Has this particular bear be known to eat humans? Because if not, your statement is likely quite an exaggeration. If you do some research you WILL find instances of predation on humans by polar bears, just like you will with black bears and grizzly bears. However, like with most mammalian carnivores, predatory attacks on humans by polar bears are extremely rare - so rare that if it occurs you can almost always assume the bear is likely to be very underweight and in near-starvation condition. Like most bears, wild polar bears who have not been habituated will preferentially avoid contact with humans, and certainly their default behaviour is NOT to eat them! There's a great quote by Ian Stirling (famous polar bear biologist) who, when asked about polar bears hunting humans, replied: <div style="margin-left:40px">
"Well...if they do it, they're exceptionally bad at it and almost always fail!"</div>
Of course, if climate change impacts negatively on the preferred prey of polar bears (more often than not ringed seals and bearded seals) it is not impossible that they will turn to alternate food sources...which could include clumsy photographers (but, of course, this is speculative).
Cheers...
Brad
With Grizzly & Brown Bear trips I have done no one carry's a fire arm, the only item that was allowed to be carried was a distress flare. In Lonyearbyen the main hub before leaving I have seen people carrying a firearm, women with a rifle slung over their shoulders whilst pushing a stroller, as PB's do come into town and on any landings on the pack ice one Guide will always have a rifle to hand. When you see how easily they can pull a Bearded Seal out of a blow hole, or when they stand on their back legs the height is really awesome and finally how quickly they cover ground like Brown or Grizzly bears, you do give them huge respect, as you know.
No this was not a man eater, but as you say, when hungry they do not distinguish between you and a seal, or you just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Finland is renowned for baiting, there are concerns this is also happening with Pumas in Chile I gather, this is perhaps why they stay in certain locations, but certainly not done with PB in Svalbard and I would be surprised it would happen in Churchill.
I will drop you a link of a Scottish wildlife film maker, Gorden Buchanan, who incased himself in a steel/perspex dome for a short time with an inquisitive PB on the outside.
Cheers
Steve
Just because they are carrying guns doesn't mean they need them. Carrying guns WAS the standard for grizzlies on the northern coast of BC until about 25 years ago - no one dared venture ashore in major inlets without a gun. It was pure ignorance...they just ASSUMED they needed guns. After all, the bears were so scary! The pioneer "non-gun-carrier" on the northern BC coast was a guy called Charlie Russell - and he worked with the same outfit I work with. When he first went ashore without a gun everyone thought he was nuts. Today...anyone carrying a gun is thought to be a nut. Nothing changed with the bears...just the attitude towards them.
I have seen grizzlies pull seals out of the ocean with no effort...and take out other adult grizzlies with a swipe of their paw. This doesn't mean I need a gun - and you are really underestimating the intelligence of these guys if you think they might mistake you for a seal! Mind you, I don't recommend wearing a seal costume when working with polar bears!
The main reason I am making a point about this is this: I have worked in carnivore conservation for a long time now, and act as a carnivore conservation consultant to several groups. What has become increasingly clear to me is that the primary barrier to carnivore conservation issues (whether it be stopping BC's active wolf cull or banning the trophy hunt of grizzlies) is the attitude of the general public towards carnivores. At best they are considered vermin, at worst vicious predators just waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting public. So whenever I see an invalid statement like "all grizzlies are vicious" or "any polar bear will eat you if given a chance" I feel I have to speak out - these statements shape and/or reinforce public perception (and misconceptions).
Cheers...
Brad
Hopefully people like Jeff Turner will and has in some way, along with others, slowly changed peoples perception about Bears, but with Real Estate encroaching on habitat, garbage not being stowed away properly and easy pickings, there will always be encounters sadly, but they do not have to end up with one scenario.
Whist I know that I have been requested not to "critique" on Steve's posts.
His comments and your responses I think need addition from another point of view?
I have certainly never witnessed feeding in this area, but I was with a highly reputable team leader.
Although even he misbehaved by opening the "kitchen window" to attract bears to the smell, thereby being able to capture bear images with the head through the porthole.
As for Jeff Turner and Graham Buchanan being fine examples, if you count getting to close the Grizzly Bears (Grizzly Bears Face to Face) or sitting in Perspex Cage deliberately upsetting Polar Bears (Polar Bear Family and Me) , then you must have a strange idea of OK image making.
I am however aware that a camper was attacked in a tent on Svalbard.