Grizzlies! Part 2

May 23, 2026 – Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary – Day 2

Here are more grizzly pictures! Today we got within about 20 feet of Marshmallow – a fairly calm 4 year-old male that the guides have known since he was a cub. He was weaned a bit early at only 2 years, so they were glad to see that he is thriving. Last year on his own was tough, but he seems healthy now. We caught up with the mom and cub again as well as a few new ones – like a black bear (!) named Pavy and large male (Reuben) that seemed to have a scar on its shoulder. The black bear was the first one we have seen – they often get pushed out by the larger grizzlies, but here there is a belief they co-exist easier since there is enough food so there isn’t as much competition. This black bear, Pavy, was eating mussels at low tide – something I didn’t know bears did until now. He was very photogenic.

The guides tell us they name them so they and guests can keep track of them a bit better. There isn’t any formal naming convention and sometimes they get updated – like the mom and cub got a new name this week. It does make it easier for all of us to remember them and start to remember their markings and behaviors.

My fellow guests are Canadians from BC and a few Americans from the northwest. There are a few accomplished photographers in the group with very large lenses and lots of experiences photographing animals all around the world. I hope to learn a bit from them by the end of the week. The staff at the lodge are knowledgeable and have great stories to tell about their own histories, which often has included bear tour guiding for many years. Even the amazing chef has been around these bears for a while. He is also quite the amazing cook. No one is losing weight on this trip.

So, let’s get to the bears!