BEHIND THE SCENE

I never get tired of watching bear siblings play. One warm spring’s day in Alaska’s Lake Clark National Park, we were blessed to encounter two mother bears, each with a pair of cubs. It looks almost as if they’re hanging out together, watching each other’s back in case an aggressive male appears.
They would take turns napping, which was simply awesome for photographic opportunities. While one mom would nap with her two cubs, the other cubs would play-fight. Then they would tire and nap themselves, while the other two cubs would wake up and start play-fighting. The back-and-forth meant we could photograph every day for up to 12 hours straight.
Sometimes it was so good we would even skip our own meals.
Playing is extremely important for young cubs because it helps develop the skills they’ll need to survive on their own. It makes them tough and more resilient, preparation for what can be a hard life in the wild.