Low clouds and fog draped the treetops, as the still water mirrored the wild untouched landscape around us. We drifted quietly in a zodiac, scanning the shoreline - and then… a grizzly bear! Each bear sighting brought a rush of excitement. We watched grizzlies graze on protein-rich sedge, dig for clams and mussels, swim between "sedge islands" and the shore, and interact with one another.
In mid-June 2025, I traveled to Khutzeymateen - Canada’s first and only grizzly bear sanctuary located on the remote northwest coast of British Columbia. Khutzeymateen was established in 1994 to protect the 50–60 resident grizzlies and their ecosystem. The sanctuary is jointly managed by BC Parks, Tsimshian First Nations, and the local Gitsi'is Tribe. Human access is strictly limited, and only two tour operators are permitted to enter the estuary. I joined Ocean Light Adventures (with six other photographers), staying aboard their boat and venturing into the estuary by zodiac to observe and photograph grizzly bears. It was a memorable experience to witness wildlife so undisturbed. Khutzeymateen is a remarkable place, one where bears are free to simply be bears.
In mid-June 2025, I traveled to Khutzeymateen - Canada’s first and only grizzly bear sanctuary located on the remote northwest coast of British Columbia. Khutzeymateen was established in 1994 to protect the 50–60 resident grizzlies and their ecosystem. The sanctuary is jointly managed by BC Parks, Tsimshian First Nations, and the local Gitsi'is Tribe. Human access is strictly limited, and only two tour operators are permitted to enter the estuary. I joined Ocean Light Adventures (with six other photographers), staying aboard their boat and venturing into the estuary by zodiac to observe and photograph grizzly bears. It was a memorable experience to witness wildlife so undisturbed. Khutzeymateen is a remarkable place, one where bears are free to simply be bears.
© Sherie Taylor Photography