This is Big Momma – matriarch of the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary here on the BC coast, photographed in the fall of 2018. Many of us have wondered what it has been like in the Khutzeymateen this year with no visitors to speak of and many people have asked me if I’ve heard anything from the area at all. Well, last week Megan, a friend who works in the area, sent me an update on some of the well known bears. Starting with Big Momma, she had three cubs last year – a feat in itself, but made all the more special because it was her fifth set of cubs, having weaned at least one of each of the previous four sets. Well, she returned again this year and still had all three cubs with her.
Another special feat was a bear known as Sweetie (aka Blondie by Khutz lodge) who had three cubs back in 2018 and should have weaned them this spring. After losing all three of her second set of cubs in 2017 we all prayed she would do well with this set and the good news is she’s doing superbly, she returned with all three cubs still intact and decided not to wean them and has kept them close for another year, so she should wean them next spring all being well.
And a third and final good news update – the twins are also doing just great. These two little bears were weaned by their mother, ‘Little Momma’ a year early but to all our surprise they battled against the odds, worked hard together and have survived through to adolescence. Now five year olds, they are living apart, but still come together from time to time for a play and to do some clam digging.
