Grizzly Bears: Guardians of the Wilderness, by Frances Backhouse

 

Publication Feb. 14, 2023

Thoroughly enjoyed this one, including entertaining friends with tidbits of "Did you know...?" about grizzlies. I remember my own first sighting of a grizzly in the wild. I was on a bus taking the wildlife tour of Alaska's Denali Park. We'd spotted lots of wildlife but not one glimpse of a bear of any kind. Then, as we neared the final loop back to the nature center, the driver slowed the bus and announced "Bear!" to our left. It was hard to see for the growth but it was like the bus tilted left as everyone grabbed their cameras and sought to capture that fleeting glimpse. Like everyone else, I was clicking away but wasn't sure I'd gotten anything worthwhile but, well, it was a grizzly, a grizzly in Alaska. Imagine my delight to get home and when the film was developed (that alone tells you how long ago this was), find I'd not only captured a few decent shots but one showed a cub on its mother's back!

In any case, that sense of wonder carried me through this book. I now live in Alaska, albeit not in bear territory, so was delighted to read about some of our bear habitats as well as elsewhere. One thing I particularly liked was that while introducing us to those who study and protect the grizzly, the book often shared their own earliest memory of a bear sighting or encounter. One told of when his father and he met a bear in a narrow trail and his six-year old fear of being eaten. Now he works to help preserve grizzly bears. I entertained friends by sharing the interesting bits of info I picked up as I read, which I think you'll find as intriguing as I did, like the oldest grizzly on record or what is frequently found in bear scat. No, it's not like in the joke and bear bells but you'll have to read the book to find out.  

There's facts galore, lovely photos, people to meet, and places you'll enjoy visiting in your mind. One of the things that impressed me, btw, was how hard national parks have worked to change their image from the ol' Yogi Bear cartoons, and, yes, how best to avoid or cope if confronted by a bear. Living in Alaska, there's frequently news stories about bears raiding trash cans, so that info was definitely pertinent. There's much more, so grab this book when it comes out and prepare to entertain your friends, too.

Thanks #NetGalley and #OrcaBooks for letting me safely enter the grizzlies world for awhile. The lengthy resources at the end were much appreciated and I think I spent as much time enjoying the ample photos as I did reading!