25 Aug 2019

Bear Watching and Walking with a Fox

After an early breakfast we silently made our way into Koryakskiy Reserve where we sat among the tundra surrounded by pines, mushrooms and berries patiently waiting for Kamchatka Bears to pass by the hills around us. From our position we watch transfixed as the bears go about their daily lives, roaming the slopes looking for food and trying their luck salmon fishing in the river. It is a thrill to see them in their natural habitat, and a privilege to be in an area that is completely protected and rarely visited.

This afternoon we make our way to Verhoturova Island where, at the heart of the island, we discover a lighthouse and are followed by a Red Fox. Keeping about 15 metres away, the fox trails us, stopping to raise its muzzle and sniff out our scent as it watches with great curiosity. Its close proximity allows us to observe its light steps, sleek fur, amber-coloured eyes and long, bushy white-tipped tail that shifts from side to side. As the sun sets we walk along the shore where hundreds of Black-legged Kittiwakes fill the sky and dot the water among Pelagic Cormorants and Largha/Spotted Seals.

Image (c) S.Blanc, Heritage Expeditions