Brown Bear Directory

[brotherbear]

~~The Bears of Katmai by Matthias Breiter.Rambo - Rising up to his full, imposing height of over nine feet, Rambo rubs his back on the remains of a small tree, displaying his dominance. Numerous scars on his neck attest to the fact that such confrontations frequently have left their mark.No bear ever remains river sovereign uncontested; evidently the newcomer has sneaked up on Rambo, intending to seize the moment and take advantage of a surprise attack to move up in the hierarchy. However, the attacker has been a bit too optimistic in evaluating the situation. He quickly loses his edge as Rambo explodes from the water as if ejected, crashing full speed into the flank of the other bear and bowling him over. Now on top of the assailant, the advantage is all Rambo's; from the looks of it, serious if not fatal injury appears inevitable. With mouth agape and paws flying, Rambo bears down on his challenger. Yet just short of tearing into his opponent, he stops. For a few seconds, time seems to stand still. The two boars remain locked in combat. Then they part, and as if in slow motion, the defeated bear moves off in a stiff-legged gait, carrying a deep gash on his foreleg. Nor has the victor escaped uninjured. A gaping cut three inches long adorns Rambo's forehead. Numerous scars on his neck attest to the fact that such confrontations frequently leave their mark. However, Rambo is oblivious to such minor "scratches." He watches his rival walk off, then moves over to a stand of alders. With powerful blows from his front legs, he prunes a few of the little trees. Branches lie between his paws. Then he rises up on his hind legs and rubs his back against the trees, urinating at the same time.After mutilating two more trees, Rambo, too, walks off. Once again all is quiet at Brooks Falls. Reply