2004-08-11 - Amazing encounter!
Stinking Camp at E 25625857 N 6840920 , overcast, hot, 28 km;s of hard slog.
´´Look, an animal!´´, hollered Johan and before I had chance to look, he continued exitedly;´´A bear!´´
A hundred yards away, stood a young bear with his head down searching through blueberryrice. We paddled closer to the brown bear with the wind in our face. Suddenly the majestic animal looked up straight in our direction, but didn´t realize we were there. I know the sight of bear is poor, but I´ve never understood it was this bad. The bear continued his foraging for food. When we´re only 70-80 meters from the bear, the bear stands up on his backlegs, and once again looks in our direction. He still doesn´t know we are there. Suddenly he stops his work, walks over to the beach and starts smelling in the direction of the wind. Rapidly he turns around and run away on his four legs. But only a few meters. In a manner that would suggest that he thought:
´´I guess it wasn´t that dangerous.´´
After having had the privilege to observe this grand animal for 20 minutes, it strolls awayfrom us into the depths of the forest.
Anotherfantastic day in the northeastern part of Siberia is coming close to an end.
I´ve noticed that we´ve pitched camp above some astonishingly foul smelling herbs and on a well-used bear path. |
