Five Bear Cubs
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Black bears typically have two cubs, rarely one or
three. In 2007, in northern New Hampshire, a black bear sow gave
birth to five healthy young. There were two or three reports of
sows with as many as four cubs but five was, and is,
extraordinary. I learned of them shortly after they emerged from
their den and set myself a goal of photographing all five cubs
with their mom, no matter how much time and effort was involved.
I knew the trail they followed on a fairly regular basis,
usually shortly before dark. After spending nearly four hours a
day, seven days a week, for six weeks I had that once in a
lifetime opportunity and photographed them in the shadows and
dull lighting of the evening. Due to these conditions the
photograph is a bit noisy as I had to use the equivalent of a
very fast film speed on my digital camera. The print is properly
focused and well exposed with all six bears posing as if they
were in a studio for a family portrait.
I stayed in touch with other people who saw the bears
during the summer and into the fall hunting season. All six
bears continued to thrive. As time for hibernation approached, I
found still more folks who had seen them and everything remained
OK. I stayed away from the bears as I was concerned that they
might become habituated to me, or to people in general, as
approachable friends. This could be dangerous for both man and
animal. After Halloween I received no further reports and could
only hope the bears survived until they hibernated.
This spring, before the snow disappeared, all six bears
came out of their den and wandered the same familiar territory
they trekked in the spring of 2007. I saw them before mid April
and dreamed nightly of taking another family portrait, an
improbable second once in a lifetime photograph. On April 25,
2008 I achieved my dream.
And so it is with humility and great pleasure that I
share these photos with you.
Sincerely, Tom Sears |
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