Page 67 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

The Great

Bear

Rainforest

An eagle soars overhead, dipping its Rupert is an eclectic city where wildlife, eagles, but it is the bears that have people
wing in reverence to the 500-year-old tree history and people collide. It is a culturally enthralled. Coming down from their winter
standing sentry in the coastal inlet. Orcas and diverse place as Japanese, Chinese, First mountain hibernation, the grizzlies make their
humpbacks silently navigate the surrounding Nations and Europeans have all left their way to the valley floor in the spring where they
channels, and grizzlies graze on sedge grass mark on the place. The city is known for its gorge on sedge grass. Bears eat up to 100
silhouetted against a backdrop of lush, abundance of fresh seafood, and the people pounds a day of the early springtime sedge,
mountainous rainforest. To the Gitsi’is tribe of of Prince Rupert are proud to cook with local which is 25% protein, making this an important
British Columbia, Canada, the Khutzeymateen ingredients cultivated from the surrounding part of the bears’ diet. From July to October the
is a sacred area that sustained and nourished landscape. The locals have a connection to Khutzeymateen rivers teem with four different
their people. It is a place of solace and the land and to community, a place where species of salmon and it is at the river’s edge
contemplation, where you go to be close to people stop what they are doing to watch where bears will devour up to 110 pounds of
your maker and hear him speak. Mother Nature’s display as the summer sun fish a day, bulking up before the snow begins
dips below the horizon and the curtain closes to fall. Mothers teaching their cubs how to fish
Established in 1994 as Canada’s first on another day. Hiking, kayaking, fishing and and forage can be seen at the rivers, as well
and only grizzly bear sanctuary, the 174 square wildlife viewing all make up the adventures to as bears napping, playing and postering for
miles is a carefully managed territory that be found in Prince Rupert. dominance.
protects the entire watershed of the rivers and
the Khutzeymateen inlet and foreshore. The Captain Davis of Prince Rupert Adventure Khutzeymateen will not disappoint with
area was originally scheduled to be logged, Tours says that Khutzeymateen is, “the greatest its spectacular scenery of natural, unspoiled
but individuals and the tribes worked together show on earth.” Their 7-hours bear-viewing vistas and crisp, clear waters. Be an attentive
and convinced others, including Prince Phillip tour gives tourists an opportunity to see these observer of the behavior of these magnificent
of England, who lobbied the government that legendary giants in their natural environment. creatures, where for the bears nothing is
the region should be studied. Over four years, According to Davis, “Our goal is to provide you gained or lost because visitors come not to
biologists, naturalists and other scientists with a safe, pleasurable, unique wilderness disturb. The wildlife of Khutzeymateen holds a
took detailed notes and observations of the experience. We conscientiously avoid altering special place in the hearts of the First Nation
landscape, and out of their research the the natural behavior of these creatures.” tribes but it is the bears who are most revered,
sanctuary was born. Sometimes called the for it is believed that the grizzlies offer a resting
“The Great Bear Rainforest”, it is home to the Other operators such as Wild Compass offer place for the souls of the people who have
largest concentration of grizzlies in Canada. visitors a unique Khutzeymateen experience died before, and from them the souls are re-
It is also the last remaining intact coastal with three or six day photography tours for born for the next generation.
temperate rainforest and a hidden gem within intermediate wildlife photographers. Dan
B.C. Wakeman, who was instrumental in the Breath of the Bear recommends the
creation of the sanctuary, also conducts three following company:
Khutzeymateen is located 28 miles to six day tours with visitors staying on a yacht
northeast of Prince Rupert, B.C. and can only and traveling every day with the rising tides Wild Compass:
be reached by a two-hour boat ride or a into the estuary. www.wildcompasstours.com
20-minute float plane trip to the sanctuary. Phone: (818) 522-1677
Several tour operators out of Prince Rupert Besides bears, Khutzeymateen is also
offer day or multi-day trips to the area. Prince known for seals, whales, otters, wolves and

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