This mother bear lost all 4 of her cubs 2 years ago. This year sheās more cautious, spending more time away from the tall grass where wolves and boars are a constant threat. Sheās taking advantage of low tides for clamming, napping and nursing. During low tide she can see in all directions. Not as much opportunity for threats to sneak up on her.
When you get to watch these animals for extended periods of time, you start to see the struggles of their daily life. Especially a mother with 3 little cubs. You really start to feel empathy for her daily struggles and appreciate how hard she works for her offspring to make it to adulthood. She always sleeps with one eye open. Itās truly an incredible thing to witness.
In this series of photos, she was clamming for a couple hours and then nursed the cubs, shortly after they all fell into a deep sleep. As they were sleeping, the tide came up. Water surrounded them and the cubs were clearly scared, with little swimming experience they wouldnāt have made it back to shore without their mother. The Sow Huffed a few times and the cubs knew to climb on her back where she waded through the water bringing them back to the shore. It was a beautiful moment that I will never forget.
The first image is easily one of my favorite shots Iāve taken of a brown bear.š»
I really donāt want bear season to endš»š
The first 2 photos are cubs that played with each other so much that they actually ruined their coats, the 3rd photo is their patient mother who successfully raised these 2 crazies to reach sub-adulthood and sent them on their way. Im hopeful this mother has new cubs next year, we definitely saw her getting busyš»š»š
Happy Motherās Day from the animal kingdom š¤
Watching animal mothers raise their young is where Iāve felt the most connected to these creatures. Seeing the love they have for each other and how the mothers do everything in their power to give their young (even through the worldly struggles) the best chance at survival possible. We start to realize weāre not quite as different as we think, man and beast. Animal mothers play with their kids, get annoyed with them, keep them safe, watch their every step, but more than anything they love them just as a human mother loves their offspring.
I lost my mom a few years back and there is always a moment when Iām in these wild places seeing mother-baby interactions where I can appreciate everything my mom did for me and my sister. Keeping us safe, busting her ass to not just get us by, but to make sure we were happy kids. I found an old pay stub going through her things after she passed and I realized she barely had enough money to pay for herself to enjoy life. Even as she was struggling with a crippling disease, she still found a way to make Christmasā, birthdays and every holiday memorable. I wish I appreciated it more while she was still here.
I love you mom, I will always see a piece of you in each one of these intimate wild interactions and remember how hard you fought for me and Shelby.
The black leopard āGizaā with her cubs in Laikipia of Kenya š šāā¬ š
One evening after dinner in Laikipia, I was walking back to my cabin and as I approached my door I heard movement in the grass to my left, I looked over and there she was. We both stared at each other for what felt like minutes and then she bolted and disappeared into the night.
She is easily the most beautiful cat Iāve ever seen. Before this trip I wasnāt sure if I would get the opportunity to photograph her or even see her, but to get her posing with her cubs I never would have expected.
@sonyalpha
Sony a1ii w/ gmaster 400 2.8 and gmaster 50-150 2.0
The way the cub hugs its mom in the 3rd photoš¤
Mother brown bear shares intimate playful encounter with her cubsā¦.
Most of her hours are spent in survival mode keeping her cubs fed, safe, and out of danger. Watching her still make space to play felt like I was seeing a hidden side of nature. Though she can be one of the most violent animals on the planet she can still play with her babies as if there wasnāt a mean bone in her body. The intricacies of these animals is so misunderstood.
Sony a1ii w/ 400mm
@sonyalpha
This orangutan flipping us off was the funniest thing Iāve seen an animal do in my lifeš¦§š
More importantly than the orangutans this is our 3rd consecutive year of doing a trip together. All of these guys are family to me. So grateful to have a group of friends I can do trips like this with. You wouldāve thought we were drunk and high this whole trip with the amount of laughs and dumbass conversations but nah, not a single drop of alcohol or drug was present on this trip. Just a bunch of guys having the time of our lives in the middle of the Bornean jungle.
Love you boys. Thanks for always making these trips a priorityšš»
@johnnidijulius@jaystrate@tannerunderwater@danny_mako@_withtonyb@aquamandavee@maxstrong@izfilmzz@robert
Spot any bears this summer? š»š @cooperlost came across this sweet bear family on a camping trip in Alaska, and captured these shots with his Sony Alpha 1 + 400mm F2.8 G Master OSS. #SonyAlpha
After 2 weeks of sailing around one of the most biodiverse places on the planet all I want is more time here, this place is amazing.
The Galapagos is one of those places you have to see in your lifetime.
1. Cownose ray
2. American Flamingo
3. Marine iguana
4. Flightless cormorant with an octopus (Oculifer)
5. Galapagos penguin (top 2) Marine iguana (bottom pic)
6. Green sea turtle
7. Marine iguanas
8. Eagle ray
9. Sally lightfoot crab
10. Galapagos penguin saying hi š¤£
All shot on my Sony a1 w/ 16-35 2.8(aquatica housing), 400 prime 2.8, 70-200 2.8
#sonyalpha
@sonyalpha
