Grizzly Bears

One of the most common wildlife sightings in the park are bears. They are putting on the pounds for the coming winter. I think they need to eat 22,000 calories of food per day to prepare for winter hibernation. Biologists determined this by weighing their poop. People call it scat. I guess it is a nicer word...

This bear was busy eating berries. The berry crop was late this season due to unusual cold and rain in June and July.

As I was shooting this one, much to my amazement, he walked right toward me!He stopped at the other side of the road. I was able to get this close up.And then this one.These two were digging up roots at the Kantishna river.
This one was eating berries way out near Wonder Lake. He posed quite nicely for me.

Then he decided to take a walk right in the middle of the road. I could not get too close because you are not supposed to alter their behavior in any way. I followed him slowly for about 45 minutes before he finally headed back into the tundra.
Bears stand up in order to see better. This one was at Sable Pass.