Among the seemingly infinite plethora of delights to the senses that await visitors to the Rocky Mountains in Canada — specifically, Banff National Park and Jasper National Park — is the sight of a bear foraging for food in his or her native habitat.
Sunday Morning Photograph August 7 2022: Black Bear in Canada.
Some people may believe that all because the color of a bear is black, the species must be an American black bear — and in numerous cases, that may very well be true…
…but color alone is not a reliable indicator of species, according to this article from the official Internet web site of Parks Canada, which gives information on how you can tell apart a grizzly bear from a black bear, as they are two distinct species of bear who are indigenous to the Rocky Mountains in Canada. Basically, black bears have longer ears, shorter claws, and no humps on their backs.
Why did the bear cross the road? So that he can hear himself create a sound if no one is listening? To find out if a bear actually does defecate in the woods? To attempt to escape all of the flies that buzz around them? This bear does look rather perplexed.
The fur of a black bear can actually be as light as blond — but not this one, as he grazes on dandelions.
Although black bears have been known to eat fish and meat as a part of their diets, they are herbivores more than carnivores, as a significant part of their diets is vegetarian…
…and as long as you leave them alone and stay far enough away from them, they will not attack you — especially if they do not feel that you are threatening them or their cubs. As with any other aspect of nature, respect the bear, who can weigh as much as 330 pounds and can run as fast as 35 miles per hour.
Final Boarding Call
For links to other articles pertaining to the Rocky Mountains in Canada which I have already written — as well as a rough summary of my eight days there — please refer to the itinerary and master guide to the Rocky Mountains in Canada, which is still a work in progress.
Please click here for a complete list of the Sunday Morning Photograph series of articles at The Gate, which include photographs taken of nature and sights of interest in many countries and territories around the world — including but not limited to:
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Brazil
- Canada
- Colombia
- Czechia or Czech Republic
- Dominican Republic
- Estonia
- Finland
- Iceland
- Kenya
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Panama
- Poland
- Romania
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Thailand
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
- Uruguay
All photographs ©2017 by Brian Cohen.
