Bears Page #3

claw-full is worthwhile.

She uses her powerful paws

to expose a hidden snack.

Rock eels.

These shy little fish are

not exactly salmon,

but they're better

than nothing.

Scout thinks he has

the muscles for the job.

While Amber lets her mother

do all the heavy lifting.

And the clever raven

collects his reward.

"Hey, that was mine. "

"I was saving that!"

It is a lot of work,

but there's nothing else

on the menu right now.

Ouch!

Back at the beach,

the salmon have finally

arrived in large numbers.

This is what the bears have

been waiting for all summer.

The sea is bubbling with fish,

and their massive numbers

make them much

easier to catch.

This is where Sky and her

cubs need to be, and soon.

They're already

missing out.

Chinook's not letting anyone

swipe a fish from him this time.

Without Magnus around,

he's got more than a mouthful.

Even Tikani is here,

testing out his fishing skills.

It's harder than it looks.

And there's no mistaking the

inexperienced ones out here.

Then it's just a matter

of eating your catch

before someone else does.

Hurry up, little guy!

Run!

You know when a wolf's

walking like that,

he's up to something.

Head down,

slow and steady.

The thief at work.

Impressive.

And he didn't even

get his tail wet.

After months of being on the

constant hunt for salmon,

it seems almost impossible that

the bears can be too full to eat.

But that's exactly

what's happening here.

So very full.

And interested in...

I don't know

what he's doing.

Suddenly everyone's

very itchy.

This guy looks like my dad

when he's watching TV.

"Hey, who changed

the channel?"

"I was watching that. "

Sky and her cubs aren't the

only ones on a journey here.

The salmon are

merely waiting

before they can start

heading upriver to spawn.

They've spent the entire

winter out in the salty ocean,

and it will take a few

weeks for their bodies

to adapt to fresh water.

They hang around the shallow

river mouth behind the beach,

hidden from where

the bears have been hunting.

Sky is the first to get here,

and she's got the

place all to herself.

It's a huge amount of fish.

She has to take advantage

of the situation now,

but she knows it's risky

to leave the cubs.

She's only got so much time

before the other bears arrive.

She'll hunt much more

efficiently if she goes it alone.

She decides it's

worth the risk.

The cubs try to

defend themselves

while calling for

their mother's help.

But they can't

do it alone.

Sky rushes back,

and Tikani retreats.

Sky has taken her cubs to every

spot she knows on the coast

with no luck.

There are other

secret places upstream,

hidden spots like

the Golden Pond

that are sometimes

filled with fish.

But they're hard to find,

and the climb is steep.

Sky doesn't have

much choice,

she needs to find somewhere

to feed before it's too late.

For the salmon, it's been

two weeks in the river mouth,

and they're now used

to the fresh water.

Their journey upstream

can finally begin.

It's an almost

unbelievable mission.

They're trying to return to the exact

same place where they were hatched.

They rely on

chemical cues,

the taste of the water,

to tell them exactly where to go.

Some travel up

to 30 miles upriver

against a relentless current.

And often, the waterfalls are

just too steep to let them pass.

Unable to swim any higher,

these salmon will

just have to wait

in the plunge pools below.

This is where the

salmon are headed.

Calm, shallow waters that offer

the perfect place to lay their eggs.

Sky and the cubs have

just arrived, too.

They've spent the

past two weeks

climbing their way

to this lonely spot.

Sky is shockingly thin.

She's hoping she's made it

for the salmon's first arrival

to these quiet waters.

But her timing is

heartbreakingly off.

The fish are still stuck

in the pools below.

There's nothing to eat.

It looks like this time

the raven was wrong.

They may be soaking

wet and freezing,

but the rain actually

gives Sky

and the cubs some

much-needed hope.

The downpour causes

the water levels to rise

giving the salmon the exact push

they need to get back on track.

Yes!

They've made it.

Sky knows the

salmon are coming.

She can almost

taste them.

Sky searches.

Where are they?

It's her first fish

of the season.

And the cubs finally get

to taste salmon.

Scout takes his to go.

But Amber Cuddles up for a

little mother-daughter sushi date.

"Mom, salmon is my

new favorite food. "

"Let's never have

mussels again. "

The only problem

with salmon is

they don't stay in

one place for long.

They're still on

their journey.

Sky knows where

they're headed,

and it's a place

far too dangerous

for a mother

with young cubs.

With no other options,

she has to find

the Golden Pond.

These are the Great Falls.

Only the biggest and

baddest come here.

Thousands of salmon pass

through these falls,

for just a few short weeks

at the end of summer.

If you want to

catch a fat fish,

you've got to be

in the right place

at the right time.

And even then, well...

...there's no guarantee.

Magnus is an old pro.

Just open your mouth.

The competition for the best

fishing spot is intense.

Chinook wants Magnus'

prime position.

But he's forgotten

how powerful Magnus is.

Time for a little reminder.

Chinook surrenders.

And Magnus remains the

undisputed ruler of the Great Falls.

Sky and the cubs have found

a peaceful place

deep in the woods,

upriver from the Great Falls.

Summer is almost over,

and with the promise of fall,

the cubs are already growing

their thick winter coats.

With hardly any salmon,

Sky hasn't had a

chance to build up

her fat reserves

for the winter.

With no food,

Sky's milk will

definitely dry up

and Scout and Amber

won't make it

through hibernation.

Poor Sky.

She tried hard all year to be

a good mom and keep her cubs safe.

She's lost and

totally exhausted,

but she still doesn't want

to give up the fight.

If only she knew,

she's almost there.

Just a short walk away.

This is the Golden Pond,

where Sky wanted

to take her cubs.

In certain years, salmon gather

here in unimaginable numbers.

The raven calls,

asking Sky to follow.

Sky can hardly

believe her eyes.

So many bears,

peacefully gathered.

Safe and welcoming.

And more salmon than she and

the cubs can shake a paw at.

With all this salmon,

the cubs will grow fat,

and Sky will be able to keep

them going through the winter.

Sky's long,

difficult journey is finally over.

Turns out that tough bear

Scout was looking for

was right by his side,

all along.

As winter approaches,

all the bears begin their trek

back up the mountains.

Scout and Amber will rely on their

mother for the next two years,

growing stronger with

each passing season.

Before the dark days

of winter arrive,

every bear must return

to the high peaks

to dig their dens

for hibernation.

And for the next

six months,

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