View to a Kill

Tuesday, 17 August: Part II

Our day, which started on a high note, came to a screeching halt around 3:30p when we became unwitting witnesses to the dark, harsh side of Mother Nature. We watched — aghast, but unable to turn our eyes away — as a sow killed the yearling of another sow. It was nature at its most brutal; yet it was nature being … well, nature. Numbing my mind to the sadness of seeing a cub being killed before me, I watched as a documentarian who was seeing something unusual. Not that cub killings are that unusual, but this one was, because it was a sow doing the killing and not a boar.

I gave a lot of thought to this post. What would I write? How would I write it? Did I even want to write it? Those questions and more swirled around in my head. I felt like I was on an emotional seesaw, vacillating between the pros and the cons of a post of this nature. In the end, the documentarian in me won. The cub killing was part of our bear-watching experience and the story needed to be told.

The story starts out innocently enough. The initial pictures in this post are pretty innocuous; they set the stage for the drama that follows. Even though I selected the least graphic images I could for this post, they may still be disturbing to some. If so, I suggest you stop now. Don’t read the words; don’t look at the pictures.

A deep breath … and here goes.

After a light lunch and a short rest aboard the Single Star, we were raring to resume bear-watching again. We donned our waders, grabbed our camera gear, and got in the skiff for the ride back to shore. Earlier, Lee had noticed a sow with two yearlings on the other side of the creek from where we’d sat during our morning outing. After consulting Eberhard, he pointed the skiff in that direction.

We didn’t have to look far for the threesome in question — they were scratching around the mudflats where we came ashore. (I’ll refer to this sow as Yearling Sow from now on.)

yearling sow suddenly perks up; and her cubs follow suit.

Their concern is for naught; this bear is just passing through.

Well-trained by yearling sow, the cubs keep an eye on the passerby.

Enter into the scene the sow with the older triplets (Triplet Sow from now on). They’re on the other side of a stream that runs down to the shore. In a perfect position to watch both families, we make ourselves comfortable on the mudflats.

At about this time, Mui realizes that he’s left the back-up battery for his video camera on the boat. Lindsay calls Lee to come and get Mui so he can retrieve the battery. Now there’s just the three of us on the mudflats — Eberhard, Lindsay, and me. The group from the larger boat is sitting on the far side of the creek; where we were in the morning. So is a solo photographer. We can see them; I assume they can see us. They’re not close, however, and there are grasses and sand berms blocking their view of the mudflats.

As yearling sow makes her way to a fishing hole, triplet sow
keeps an eye on her.

The yearlings hesitate to cross the water.
they stay on our side of the stream.

While two of the triplets keep an eye on Yearling sow,
Triplet sow and one cub keep an eye on the yearlings.

Suddenly, the yearlings are on alert …

… and before we know it, they are on the run.

I still don’t know what startled the cubs into running. There were other bears on our side of the stream, but if they were spooked by them, why did they run to our side and not across the water to where Yearling Sow was fishing? Maybe some instinct warned them that Triplet Sow was about to make a move on them. We certainly didn’t have any indication of what was about to happen; but then, we’re not bears.

Like lightning, first the pair of yearlings streak by us; then comes Triplet Sow, followed by her cubs. Where is Yearling Sow? I have no idea; we’re engrossed in the chase happening before us.

In seconds, Triplet sow is upon one of the yearlings …

… and has it in her clutches even as two of her cubs join the fray.

Suddenly, Yearling Sow arrives on the scene, and …

… a fight ensues between the two sows, with the cubs looking on.
the growls are loud; sand is flying everywhere.

as the injured yearling tries to stagger away, the fight breaks up.
(note the solo photographer sitting on the other side of the stream)

At this stage things get a bit murky. We're thinking that Yearling Sow has won the fight and the yearling, though wounded, has a chance to survive. Then, a confusing blur of action ensues. The other yearling takes off; a sow, which we assume is Triplet Sow, is in hot pursuit. Why do we assume it's Triplet Sow? Because the triplets follow her! We’re wrong!

Yearling Sow, gives up the fight, and as she leaves …

... Triplet Sow delivers the killing blow!

an eerie silence … and It's over!

Taking one last look, Yearling Sow leaves with her remaining cub.

You might think that what I have related thus far took awhile. No; it was over very quickly. In fact, looking at the date stamp on my photographs, it took no more than 3 minutes from the time the cubs started running to when the final blow was dealt by Triplet Mom. Three minutes!!! And that includes the fight between the sows.

At this point, Mui rejoins us. He doesn’t want to believe us when we tell him what has happened in his absence, but the proof is right there for him to see. Having noticed the commotion on the mudflats, the solo photographer also comes over and joins us (he knows Eberhard). He’s seen the fight, but has no idea what really happened until we relay the drama to him. We all turn to watch Act II of the drama.

… Act II

I wish I could say that this next part was over just as quickly as the first part. Unfortunately not. It took Triplet Sow about an hour to have her fill. Thankfully, she moved the carcass to the grass at the far edge of the mudflats. The distance and the camera lens between us allowed me to watch dispassionately as we waited for the curtain to fall on the drama.

Before I continue the story, I should say that I found the post-kill reaction of the triplets fascinating. They came up to the carcass; they sniffed; they curiously nudged it. But they didn’t feed on it. At least, I’m sure two of them didn’t do so; one may have tasted a bit. They mostly stayed away from it, browsing on grass instead. Was it because they’ve been trained not to steal from the sow? I don’t think so; after all we did see them stealing salmon from her. Was it shock? Maybe. Or perhaps they just weren't hungry.

curious about what she's devouring, The cubs join Triplet Sow.

Seeming uncertain about what's going on, however, they move away …

… to browse on the grass instead.

in the meantime, Yearling Sow makes another appearance, …

… but doesn't stay long.
After she and her cub browse on the berries …

… they go back to scratching around in the mudflats.
The remaining yearling is understandably anxious.

meanwhile, the triplets wait for triplet sow to finish feeding.

Finally, having had her fill, triplet mom leads the family away.

Now, for the unexpected, shocking turn of events.

when the Triplet Family leaves, Yearling Sow returns to the scene
with her remaining cub by her side.

After sniffing the carcass, she starts to feed on the remains …

… And later, feeds the remains to her cub as well.

I said that Yearling Sow shocked us by feeding on the carcass of her dead cub. And she did. But even as I was watching her, I had to admit that she was doing what came natural. The cub was dead; she had another yearling that needed to be fed and nourished … so why not? Seemed cruel to us, but she was simply following her instincts.

We could have left then and returned to the Single Star, but we needed something positive and uplifting with which to end our day. So, picking up our camera equipment, we moved towards the creek to watch the fishing action for a while. On our way there, we came across the Triplet Family at rest. Curious to see if the sow would nurse her cubs now that she was sated, we sat down to watch. She did not accommodate us.

after-action rest time!

We left the family behind and sat by the creek for a while, celebrating the salmon run with the bears that were fishing with abandon. An hour later this was the scene that was playing out before us … the Triplet Family was back to take advantage of Mother Nature’s bounty!

the end ... of the story of the killing of a yearling by a sow.

Time is short; soon winter will be upon this family and the other bears fishing in Geographic Harbor. They have to be well-fed if they are to survive. We’ll never know what prompted this afternoon’s killing, but I have a feeling that it was survival instinct kicking into high gear. It was, whether we like it or not, part of the natural cycle of life and death.