Page 204 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

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Shayne McGuire

The Great Bear Rainforest

creamy white bear born to two black bear parents, the grizzlies make their way to the valley floor
found only in the Great Bear Rainforest. This area in the spring where they gorge on sedge grass.
is also the last remaining intact coastal temperate Bears eat up to 100 pounds a day of the early
rainforest and a hidden gem within B.C. springtime sedge, which is 25% protein, making
this an important part of the their diet. From July to
Khutzeymateen is located 28 miles northeast October the Khutzeymateen rivers teem with four
of Prince Rupert, B.C. and can only be reached by different species of salmon and it is at the river’s
a two-hour boat ride or a 20-minute float plane edge where bears will devour up to 110 pounds of
trip to the sanctuary. Several tour operators out fish a day, bulking up before the snow begins to
of Prince Rupert offer day or multi-day trips to fall. Mothers teaching their cubs how to fish and
the area. Prince Rupert is an eclectic city where forage can be seen at the rivers, as well as bears
wildlife, history and people collide. It is a culturally napping, playing and posturing for dominance.
diverse town as Japanese, Chinese, First Nations
and Europeans have all left their mark on the Khutzeymateen will not disappoint with its
place. The city is known for its abundance of fresh spectacular scenery of natural, unspoiled vistas
seafood, and the people of Prince Rupert are and crisp, clear waters. Be an attentive observer
proud to cook with local ingredients cultivated of the behavior of these magnificent creatures,
from the surrounding landscape. The locals have where for the bears nothing is gained or lost
a connection to the land and community, a place because visitors come not to disturb. The wildlife
where people stop what they are doing to watch of Khutzeymateen holds a special place in the
Mother Nature’s display as the summer sun dips hearts of the First Nation tribes but it is the bears
An eagle soars overhead, dipping its wing below the horizon and the curtain closes on who are most revered, for it is believed that the
in reverence to the 500-year-old tree standing another day. Hiking, kayaking, fishing and wildlife grizzlies offer a resting place for the souls of the
sentry in the coastal inlet. Orcas and humpbacks viewing all make up the adventures to be found in people who have died before, and from them the
silently navigate the surrounding channels, and Prince Rupert. souls are re-born for the next generation.
grizzlies graze on sedge grass silhouetted against
a backdrop of lush, mountainous rainforest. Captain Davis of Prince Rupert Adventure Tours
To the tribes of British Columbia, Canada, the says that Khutzeymateen is “the greatest show Shayne McGuire
Khutzeymateen is a sacred area that sustained on earth.” Their 7-hour bear-viewing tour gives
and nourished their people. It is a place of solace tourists an opportunity to see these legendary
and contemplation, where you go to be close to giants in their natural environment. According
your maker and hear him speak. to Davis, “Our goal is to provide you with a safe,
pleasurable, unique wilderness experience. We
Established in 1994 as Canada’s first and only conscientiously avoid altering the natural behavior
grizzly bear sanctuary, the 174 square miles of these creatures.”
is a carefully managed territory that protects
the entire watershed of the rivers and the Other operators such as Wild Compass offer
Khutzeymateen inlet and foreshore. The area was visitors a unique Khutzeymateen experience
originally scheduled to be logged, but individuals with three or six-day photography tours for
and the tribes worked together and convinced intermediate wildlife photographers. Dan
others, including Prince Phillip of England, who Wakeman, who was instrumental in the creation
lobbied the government that the region should of the sanctuary, also conducts three to six-day
be studied. Over four years, biologists, naturalists tours with visitors staying on a yacht and traveling
and other scientists took detailed notes and every day with the rising tides into the estuary.
observations of the landscape, and out of their
research the sanctuary was born. Sometimes Besides bears, Khutzeymateen is also known
called the “The Great Bear Rainforest”, it is home for seals, whales, otters, wolves and eagles, but it
to the largest concentration of grizzlies in Canada is the bears that have people enthralled. Coming
and also home to the Spirit Bear, which is a down from their winter mountain hibernation,
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