Canids and Ursids Interactions

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(10-30-2016, 06:16 AM)Majingilane Wrote: Credits to Deby Dixon.

Witnessing the relationship between one wolf pack and one grizzly bear, that have been sleeping, eating and traveling together


The New Lamar Canyon pack with their Grizzly Bear


This video was taken very early in the morning when it was so dark we couldn't immediately tell that the howls were coming from a grizzly bear, instead of wolves! I'll explain. Due to lack of light I placed my camera on the beanbag, instead of tripod, to hold it steadier and so the filming wasn't smooth. My whole intent was just to capture an incredible scene that I knew people would want to see, bad video quality or not.

It was early early and just a few of us stood at Footbridge pullout in Soda Butte Valley. Howling came from very close but try as we might, we could not see the wolves. They sounded like they were standing right in front of us. And then a large black object appeared from behind some willows and I hollered, "there they are." But, to our surprise, once we could focus, it was a bear. A bear right where the wolves were howling. And then a big black wolf with white cheeks appeared, followed by Little T. They were following the bear! The big black, later identified as 949 of the Beartooth pack, threw me off and I did not know who we were watching. Two more black wolves eventually emerged from the sage, lacking much enthusiasm for the cold morning. Turned out to be another male from the Beartooth pack. Strangely enough, 926 slowly brought up the rear. They were all following the bear and it was one big happy family.
I grabbed the camera and did my best to record the moments, even though I did not know what exactly was happening.

This was our first view of the two Lamar females with these two new males from the Beartooth. We suspected something had taken place because 965 had been injured and there were sightings of multiple blacks and descriptions of chaos and a possible chase. And, so we had been waiting to see these wolves to find out what was going on.
Well, our Lamar girls are smart. They not only got themselves 3 big men (another black male has since joined them), they got a bear to go with them.

As you will see in this video, 949 was sticking close to the bear, as if they were old pals. And, he was limping at that time. Little T had an interaction with the bear but it didn't deter her too much. The bear and the wolves made their way across the sage and up onto dead puppy hill where they hung out for awhile, with the bear going from wolf to wolf, as if telling them that it was time to go hunt. Eventually, the wolves ditched the bear, crossed the road (that was when 926 came close to me) and headed west where they made a kill.

Definitely an exciting time in Wolf World that morning. But, a little sad to see how quickly 965 was forgotten. He only had his girls for a very short time. Hoping he is safe somewhere.

If only we humans can be like that.... Reply