GRIZZ and LY

(by ANI...on assignment from 'Wild Writings Press ~ Planet Earth')

I”ve never seen a grizzly ~ and hope not to meet one.

But LY, I hear is caringly kind ~ believe I”ll go visit

to tell me of her life.

She told me of her hidden den ~ so into the craggy mountains

I intend to go ~ for near a small cave in the pine-tree grove,

I'm certain to see her at play with her 3 or 4 cubs.

Her home is near the coast of B.C's Rocky Mountains

where food year-round is plentiful (less time spent in dens).

Reporter-like, I muse re questions to ask:

her ancient homeland...her breed's immigration...

how she met GRIZZ... neighbours they have...

food they eat...enemies who attack...

and survival in Canada thro' long harsh winters.

I trekked through foothills, rivers and streams,

snow-capped mountains and forested vales;

saw antelope and deer and a few black bears.

Grizzlies, to me seem Kings of the Land!

Historically, I read about Lewis and Clark when exploring,

described Grizzlies as 'fear inspiring and gruesome'.

Descendants of Europe's brown bears,

in Canada and U.S. ~ Grizzlies' they are called!

Inhabiting Canada from Hudson Bay to B.C.

and Northwest United States including all Alaska,

they're the biggest and strongest of all bear species.

En route, I wondered: are they flocks ~ are they herds?

Are they swarms, like the bees?

News to me: each is called a sloth or a sleuth

(akin to modern words of slowness and slowing,

whereas, in Old English, means sluggish, tardy or inert.

Approaching the west coast (in fear and trepidation), I saw HIM!

Standing 9 or 10 feet tall on his hind legs

and about 5 feet at the shoulders,

he was menacingly threatening ~ protecting his home?

Standing like a 'sentinel' he asked where I was going.

Trembling in boots, I said,

“I'm writing a novel about Bears, Bears, Bears

and Ly, I'm requested to interview.”

Big GRIZZLY scowled,

“I”ll escort you to her! She's training her cubs through play

how to fight for food...how to 'family share' ...and how to trick prey

and how to disguise from foes when young.

Signalling acceptance, he rose on his hind legs.

She was beautifully coffee-brown with blonde and white tipping

on her flank and leg fur.

And each front claw, like those of GRIZZ, was about 3 inches.

(So, for me, I must be brave and must behave.)

In Response to my Question about Population:

Brown bears are found in Asia, Europe and North America but in the latter country, they're called GRIZZLY BEARS and having the widest range of all bear species.

In Canada, 25,000 GRIZZLIES occupy British Columbia, Alberta,

Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Northern Manitoba.

However, population in B.C. has significantly decreased due to hunting and habitation loss. Alaska's population of 30,000 is the densest along the coast where food supplies, such as salmon are more abundant.

About Hibernation, she said,

In preparation for winter, we can gain 400 pounds

(unable to eat through Hibernation time of 5 to7 months each year.)

Where food is plentiful year round, we may even skip 'hibernation' .

Every other year, we females (sows) produce 1 to 4 young ~

usually 2 cubs who feed on mother's milk.

It's at least 5 years for females to reach sexual maturity.

We, sows, protective of offspring, will attack if our cubs are threatened.

Tell me, LY about your Lifestyle

Except for females with cubs, Grizzlies are solitary, active animals.

In the coastal areas, we convene around streams, lakes, rivers and ponds

during the season of 'salmon spawning.'

I tell you now of a tragedy ~ so scaring:

Not paying attention to intruders ~ a raging hyena attacked our sleuth,

catching a young Grizzly by the throat...

and shaking it unconsciously to drag it away..

Upon calling GRIZZ, he stomped into action to save the young cub.

AT each annual gathering along our coastal waters,

we vigorously 'yarn' about heritage and sources of food.

Says GRIZZ, “The oldest Grizzly in Alaska was 34 years ~ and the oldest coastal Grizzly was 34 years. Most Grizzlies die in early years from predation and hunting.”

Finally, LY, “Of What is Your Diet Composed?

We eat both plants and animals. We prey on large mammals such as moose, caribou, white-tailed deer, big-horn sheep and even black bears. We readily scavenge food or carrion, other animals left behind. We also eat birds and their eggs and gather many fish from spawning areas.

 If lucky, we raid the nests of raptors and bald eagles.

 Along the Alaskan coast, Grizzlies scavenge on dead or washed-up whales.

And berries, berries and more berries ~ as many as we can find.

For comments to ANI MAL,

email to: mbairdkerr@bell.net

Written by Merle Baird-Kerr...June 29, 2018