Why is this bear staring at me? If I could guess, I'd say it's a stunned look. She (I really don't know for sure, so I'll go with that) just got embarrassed by a coyote. Here's the back story.
Michelle and I were doing some remote camping in far northeastern Yellowstone National Park, in a wildlife-rich area called the Lamar Valley. Bison, bears, wolves, otter. They call the Lamar Valley the Serengeti of North America. It's that stunning. Back to the bear story. We saw this cinnamon black bear the day before just outside our campsite eating some berries along the road. We call it a berry coma. She even took a potty break on the road right in front of us. I mean a full dump. It's all there in the video below. (Warning: It may gross out some people.) She had no shame. Sorry. Then she went back into the berry patch for more. Those berries must be a great laxative.
On this day, she was back at it again. Same spot. Eating more berries. No poop stop this time. I stopped to snap a few pictures when we noticed a coyote playing in the field nearby. Neither the coyote or bear saw each other (the bear was in her berry coma), but we could sense the fur would soon be flying. As the coyote got closer, the two spotted each other. What happened next totally surprised us.
We expected the bear would stand up, and with a roar, dispatch that mangy coyote back to its den. Instead the coyote chased the bear up a tree (I have that picture too). After a few tense moments the coyote, with a smug look on its face, trotted off into the brush. The bear waited a bit then sheepishly came down from the tree and sat on a log to catch her composure.
That's when she saw me. I could just about read her mind begging me not to tell anyone what I just witnessed. Sorry bear.
(If you don't want to get this close to a bear, you can buy this poster in my store. )
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