by Bindi Irwin
‘It’s like they’re just showing off to taunt us,’ moaned Joey.
‘We’re not the only ones who are thinking about a fish breakfast,’ said Bindi as she pointed to two Kodiak bears that were slowly making their way down to the river’s edge on the opposite bank. Their large frames lumbered awkwardly down the slippery slope.
Joey let out a cry and made a move to stand. Bindi held out her hand and touched him on the shoulder. ‘Stay a moment, will you?’
Joey eyed her suspiciously. ‘Why should I? I can’t shoot them. They’re of no interest to me.’
‘These guys are Kodiak’s number one tourist attraction. Let’s make the most of a private showing!’ suggested Bindi.
Joey wavered for a few seconds then sank back down on the riverbank to sit next to Bindi. ‘I guess there’s nothing better to do.’
They watched in silence as the two bears slowly entered the water and stood firmly grounded, despite the fast current.
‘What if they come for us?’ murmured Joey.
‘Shh,’ said Bindi. ‘Watch.’
The two bears stood waist deep in the water and watched the river intently. Neither moved. Their focus was intense. They stood like statues and watched the water.
A good five minutes went by with no movement from the bears when suddenly one bear swatted a giant paw into the water, which sent a fish flying onto the riverbank beside them.
‘Wowzer!’ cried Bindi.
‘You’ve got to be kidding!’ cried Joey.
Bindi and Joey could hardly believe their luck. The bear had handed them their breakfast! The bear hardly seemed to notice and had gone back to studying the ripples on the water just below the tip of its nose.
As Bindi and Joey watched, the two bears scooped up fish after fish. Some they ate straightaway, some landed on the bears’ side of the river, some on Bindi and Joey’s side. It was a very impressive spectacle to watch.
‘I never knew a bear could move so fast!’ admired Joey.
‘Aren’t they amazing?’ exclaimed Bindi.
Before he could even think about what he was saying, Joey answered quietly. ‘They are. They are amazing.’
‘Thank you, bears!’ shouted Bindi. She grabbed a couple of salmon. Joey grabbed as many as he could keep hold of and together they raced back to share their feast with the others.
The small group perked up after a very tasty breakfast of grilled salmon. In fact, Bindi thought it was even tastier than the salmon burger she’d eaten on the first day of her trip. Even Hank grudgingly muttered a few words of thanks before sinking back into a sullen silence. Katrina had cleaned and dressed his wound as best she could but it needed medical attention.
‘I still don’t understand how you managed to catch so many fish,’ Ted marvelled as he helped himself to another serve of fishy goodness.
There was an awkward silence as Bindi looked at Joey.
‘It’s not really something I can explain, Dad.’ Joey gave Bindi a wink before continuing. ‘It’s the sort of thing you really need to see in person.’
Ted clapped his hands together. ‘Son, if you can keep feeding me like this, I’ll watch anything you like.’
As Hank declined to join them, Joey led a curious Katrina and Ted down the track towards the river. Bindi followed behind.
The bears were still there but they were now joined by a cub who was feasting on raw salmon on the opposite side of the river.
‘Hang on a minute!’ cried Ted.
Joey turned to his father with a finger to his lips. ‘Quiet, Dad. Just watch!’
Katrina grinned at Bindi and gave her a playful dig in the ribs. ‘Way to go, bears and Bindi!’
The four unlikely companions sat side by side on the riverbank for the next half-hour and watched as salmon after salmon was swatted onto both sides of the bank. They landed with a delightful thwack.
‘Who would have thought a bear hunt could end up like this?’ sniggered Joey.
Ted was looking at the bears with a new-found respect. ‘They’re quite … magnificent, aren’t they?’
Joey looked at his father, smiling. ‘Much more magnificent alive than dead.’ Ted gave Joey a pat on the back.
Bindi and Katrina exchanged a smile. Job done! Just then Katrina’s phone buzzed.
‘Ha!’ Katrina called out from a few metres away. ‘I got a text back from my parents! They’re sending a rescue party out to get us. Should be here in a few hours.’
‘What are we going to do for the rest of our holiday, Dad?’ asked Joey.
Ted turned to Katrina. ‘Did you say your parents run wilderness tours?’ he asked.
As Katrina launched into an enthusiastic explanation of the various tours her parents ran, Bindi gave Joey a big smile. She knew this father and son were about to see nature in a completely new way. There were in for the best holiday of their lives.
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ANIMAL FACT FILE
THE KODIAK BEAR
© Getty Images
Kodiak bears are a unique subspecies of the brown or grizzly bear. They live exclusively on the islands in the Kodiak Archipelago and have been isolated from other bears for about 12,000 years.
Kodiak bear populations are healthy and productive. They enjoy relatively pristine habitat and well-managed fish populations.
Male bears are called boars, females are sows, and youngsters are cubs.
Kodiak bears are the largest bears in the world alongside the polar bear.
Most cubs stay with their mothers for 3 years.
Though Kodiak bears are often described as the world’s largest land carnivore, they are really omnivores (eating a variety of foods). They actually spend more time eating grass, plants and berries than meat. Fish are an important part of their diets, but few Kodiak bears expend the time or effort necessary to chase and kill mammals.
Bears are naturally diurnal (active during the day), but when faced with competition for food or space, they adopt a more nocturnal lifestyle.
Bears do not defend territories, but they do have traditional areas that they use each year (home ranges). Because of the rich variety of foods available on Kodiak, bears here have some of the smallest home ranges of any brown bear population.
Although generally solitary in nature, Kodiak bears often occur in large groups in concentrated feeding areas. Because of this, they have developed a complex language and social structure to express their feelings and avoid fights.
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