WEST COAST GRIZZLIES
DON LANG
WEST COAST GRIZZLIES
DON LANG
for Karen
Katmai National Park
In August of 2021, we ventured to the Katmai National Park on the Alaskan coast by seaplane from the town of Kodiak, on Kodiak Island. Our home for the week was a houseboat that accommodated 7 photographers. Like Canada’s northern frontier, the Alaskan landscape is beautiful. The remote nature of Katmai National Park provides a relatively undisturbed habitat for grizzlies also know as brown bears, allowing them to exhibit natural behaviors such as fishing for salmon in the rivers and streams during the summer months.
Everywhere you turn is picture-perfect: mountains, glaciers, dense greenery, rocky beaches, massive grizzlies and their playful little cubs. At this time of the year, you can get up close, as the grizzlies are obsessed with gorging as much salmon as they can, in preparation for winter.
Khutzeymateen Grizzy Bear Sanctuary
Located approximately a two-hour boat ride from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, lies the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, a pristine wilderness area renowned for its population of majestic grizzly bears. Established in 1994 and spanning over 44,300 hectares along the rugged coast of northern British Columbia, this sanctuary offers a protected haven for one of North America’s largest remaining populations of wild grizzly bears. The region’s diverse ecosystem, characterized by lush temperate rainforests, meandering rivers, and rugged mountains, provides the perfect habitat for these iconic creatures to thrive.
Only two small watercraft or Zodiacs are allowed to enter the Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, which is located at the top of a salt water inlet, know as an estuary, where the tide meets the stream. The area is where salt water meets fresh mountain water stream also know as ‘brackish’ water, that can only be accessed at high tide. As a Sanctuary, watercraft are to remain away from shore to observe these magnificent animals in their natural habitat. As the bears roam the shores, eating the lush grass sage, scrounge for clams and fish for salmon in the rivers, or forage for food among the dense foliage, visitors are granted a rare glimpse into their daily lives. Beyond its resident
grizzly population, the sanctuary is also home to a wealth of other wildlife, including black bears, wolves, bald eagles, and countless marine species. My photos are an accumulation of my trips made in May 2017 and June 2023. Our base outside the Sanctuary was a sailboat on the first trip and a floating lodge on the second. In the Winter the lodge is towed back to harbour over three days.
The Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary serves as a symbol of the enduring relationship between humans and nature, emphasizing the need for responsible stewardship and conservation efforts, by providing a sanctuary where these magnificent animals can thrive undisturbed. It offers hope for the future of grizzly bear populations and inspires a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
May 2017 Our Sailboat base
June 2023, Khutzeymatee Wilderness Lodge
Karen and I have travelled on many trips with Daisy Gilardini, an international conservation photographer. She is an ambassador for Nikon who has specialized in the Polar Regions for over 25 years, with a particular emphasis on Antarctic wildlife and North American bears. Daisy is originally from Switzerland, now based in Vancouver, Canada, and is an excellent educator of photography, in sharing all her techniques and is a joy to travel with.