Bear cubs bravely CROSS High Waters by tightly Gripping their claws and teeth onto Mom’s back
Two brown bear cubs were spotted clinging to their mother’s back as she carries them safely across a lake in Alaska.
The family of Alaska Peninsula brown bears, also known as peninsular grizzlies, were trying to get across the water in Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.
The cubs grasp their mother’s fur with their teeth and claws as she undertakes the perilous crossing.
The cubs adorably grasp their mother’s fur as she undertakes the perilous crossing.
Photographer Pattie Walsh captured the incredible images. Mrs Walsh runs GP Walsh Photography & Photo Tours with her husband George.
Photographer Pattie Walsh, who runs GP Walsh Photography & Photo Tours with her husband George, was conducting an excursion with a group of photographers who wanted the opportunity to snap the bears in their natural habitat when she spotted the amazing sight.
Mrs Walsh said: ‘A mother bear was about to cross some high water.’
The mother bear and the cubs all looked apprehensive.’ ‘The sow allowed the two cubs to climb up on her back and she would swim across carrying them both.
‘They held on tightly. You could see them gripping with their claws and teeth to her back.’ The husband and wife team have been together photographing wildlife from across the world for the last 15 years.
Mrs Walsh, who took the incredible pictures, and her husband have been together photographing wildlife from across the world for the last 15 years.
Mrs Walsh said: ‘You could see them gripping with their claws and teeth to her back.’ The mother bear then safely returns to dry land.
In that time they have captured pictures as varied as horses frolicking in Arizona’s Salt River, to Leopards on the prowl in Namibia.
However, the photo of the bear cubs clinging to their mother holds particular significance to Mrs Walsh, who said: ‘I always enjoy capturing photos of wildlife families interacting, showing their personalities, their close bonds, and the loyalty of their family unit.’
She adds that it’s not the first time she has seen such caring and loving devotion from parents out in the wild, saying: ‘It is heartwarming to see how nurturing and devoted this mother bear was to her cubs.
‘We have witnessed this caring behaviour from many wild animals.
‘Whether it is a grizzly bear, a lion, baboons, or a wild horse we have seen how the babies are the top priority in the families. They will defend and protect to the end.’
Lake Clark National Park is home to the largest sockeye salmon fishery in the world.
BROWN BEARS: WHERE ARE THEY FOUND AND WHAT DO THEY EAT?
Brown bears are also known as grizzly bears. Brown bears, also known as grizzly bears, are usually found in Northern Europe, Asia and in North America.
There are a total of about 200,000 in the world and are considered a ‘least-concern species’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
They are omnivorous and eat almost any living thing they come across. Their diet consists of grass and shoots in the spring and fruits, roots and bulbs in the autumn.
They hibernate during the winter in places that shield them from the weather.
Their dens must be big enough to fit them, for example caves or hollow logs.
